Thursday, February 28, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 28 = Clarins Jolie Rouge Brillant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick in Watermelon

I can't believe today is the last day in my 28 Days of Kisses tag, like where did the entire month go. Sorry I'm putting this post up a little later than usual, I spent the whole day with my lovely sister, Lisa and my nephew Ryan. I hadn't seen her in an age so it was nice to catch up and Ryan is the biggest rascal ever so he always cracks me up. We did a bit of shopping and had some lunch back in her place which was so yummy! My sister bought me some bits from Superdrug as a belated birthday gift which  I'm sure I'll feature on here very soon.
Here is my last lipstick look to show you guys, Clarins  Joli Rouge Brillant lipstick in Watermelon. I took this picture before I went to work this morning so excuse if it is a little blurry. No one is a 100% awake at 7AM. This is such a gorgeous wearable pink shade that looks amazing on the lips. The product itself is also moisturising and smells amazing. However for those of you who don't like shimmer/glitter this lipstick may not be for you cause it contains a lot of it. I've been super impressed lately with the products Clarins have been releasing so I'm looking forward to seeing what they come out with for the Summer months.

I've learnt two things from doing this tag, 1) I have a ridiculous amount of lipsticks that I really need to start using more of and 2) I salute anyone who does a daily tag post like this one on a regular basis. They may look easy but there such hard work, there was a couple of days that I was so busy that I was surprised I got a post up in time. I really enjoyed doing this 28 Days of Kisses series, I'm delighted Nykki let me take part on in such a great tag.  I'll definitely be taking part again next year for sure.

Until the next post,

Laura<3

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

28 Days of Kisses Day 26/ 27 = Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

I'm so sorry I didn't get to put up a 28 Days of Kisses post for you guys yesterday. I literally was running all around Dublin doing errands so by the time I got home it was pitch black outside and I didn't want to take a rubbish picture. I thought I'd do a super big post today to make it up to you guys!
First off I though I'd show you this bargain I picked up in Tesco yesterday. For €3.79 I got this pretty tin which contains four Nivea lip balms. I just thought this looked really nice plus it was such amazing value too. My favourite Nivea lip balm, Milk & Honey is included too so I couldn't walk by it. I think this would make a lovely gift for someone special as it doesn't break the bank. On a side note if you haven't tried Nivea's new lip butters you're seriously missing out. I adore Vanilla & Macadamia it smells  heavenly.

I had to head into town and collect a Itunes gift card I won. I ended up giving it to my brother being the kind Big Sister that I am. While I was walking through town I popped into Hodges & Figgis, by far my favourite bookshop in Dublin. The staff know what there talking about in there which I like. Some bookshops I go to the staff know nothing about new releases or particular authors so it's kinda just a job for them. In Hodges & Figgis it's different though as everyone who works there seem to be really keen readers too. I ended up leaving with the two books above which I can't wait to start reading. I love the author, Lisa Jewell she's one of my favourites. I've really enjoyed all the books that I've read from her in the past so I hope this is another good one. When I went to Slimming World last night I was given a big surprise. I was awarded a prize for being "The Greatest Loser" which basically means I've lost the most in the class. I'm really happy as it's such a big achievement for me that in almost a year I've lost over 6 st. I still can't believe it sometimes, I'm definitely going to hold on to this sash forever. I can always look back on it in the future and see how far I've come and what I've accomplished.
Now onto what I'm wearing on my lips today, which is Revlon's Sweet Tart Lip Butter. I'm not going to lie when these first came on the scene I made a dash to my local Boots to pick up a couple. I love how there is a vast shade selection to choose from so there's something for everyone with this range. They wouldn't be the most moisturising product I've tried but the colour pay off is amazing. Sweet Tart is a vibrant pink shade that has a nice glossy finish. It wouldn't be my favourite shade in the range, that would have to go to Cotton Candy but it definitely glams up any look. I need to root out the rest of the shades I have as I feel like I haven't been using these lovely products enough.

Are you a fan of Revlon Lip Butters?

Laura<3

Monday, February 25, 2013

28 Days of Kisses-Day 25 = Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer

YAY I finally got my advertising assignment done today, bar a few references here and there it's pretty much complete. I HATE leaving things until the last minute and that was definitely the case with this seeing as it's due to be handed in on Wednesday. I feel like a big weight is off my shoulders and I treated myself to something from MAC while I was in Dundrum today to celebrate. When I came home today their was two boxes waiting for me at the door. The lovely Chie sent me some amazing goodies from the States, she was way too good to me. I wasn't expecting it at all so after the stress of this assignment it definitely made me feel better. I'll be putting up a post soon to show you guys all the lovely bits she got me.
(Excuse my weird baby hair fringe, dunno what's going on at the moment)

The product I've been using on my lips today is Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector (what a mouthful) in Rose Shimmer. I love this stuff! This product is raved about among bloggers. I haven't splurged and bought the full size yet but I'm sure it will only be short period of time before I do. I got this in one of their Christmas gift sets which are definitely worth investing in as you get so much. The Lip Perfectors are so light and not sticky at all on the lips. I use mine on it's own as I feel like it gives just the right amount of colour. It's a "my lips but better" shade and just so easy to work with. I seen on a couple of other blogs (Vivianna Does Makeup &  British Beauty Blogger) that the brand are adding three more shades to this range in May, I know I'll be swatching them when they hit counters.

What do you think of this bloggers' favourite? Have you tried it yourself?

Laura<3

Little IKEA Haul

As you already know if you read Saturday's post I went to IKEA. It was only my second time going seeing as it's ages away from my house. I got the bus before to meet my Aunty and I was on it for more than a hour so I won't be doing that anytime soon. I love this shop so I love when I get too go, you pick up so many ideas looking at the different showrooms. We all kept saying how when we get our apartments there all going to be kitted out with stuff from IKEA. I was pretty reserved and just picked up a few things which I'm really happy. We must of been there for about two hours, the girls got some lovely bits too so another trip is definitely in order soon. I was surprised everything fit in the car to be honest!
I bought another 6 drawer Moppe unit. I already have two of these already and they fit onto the shelves in my room perfectly. They can hold alot of makeup products as you can see so this is just what I neede. I can hide stuff away but still have easy access to them. I know the finish wood is a bit naff so when I have a spare moment I'm definitely going to paint these different colours. I'm thinking blue, purple and green, something different.

I picked up two white candle holders that I thought would be perfect for holding my makeup brushes. They look so dainty and nice. I don't think these were too expensive at all, I think they came to about €8 for the two which is alright. I also picked up two of their candles that both have this gorgeous heart design. They smell different to candles I'd usually go for but they're nice. IKEA have such a huge range of candles and I went mad the first time I was there and never ended up using the candles. I gave them to my Nanna who loved them so thankfully they didn't go to waste. If I don't use these candles at least they'll look pretty on show on my bedside table.
Lastly I got these canvas picture trio of different cities. I have no idea where I'm going to put these in my room but my friend has them and I fell in love with the set. The artwork is gorgeous! I can't remember off to the top of my head the exact price but I know they weren't too dear at all. I'm going to two cities (London & New York) out of three of these this year which I'm so excited about I can't wait. I've never been to either so I'd love to hear your suggestions on where I should visit while I'm there. I was hoping to go to Paris this year with Paddy but because I'm going to London and New York aswell, I seriously don't think I'll have the money. I'm already trying to tighten my purse strings to save already. 

Are you a fan of IKEA?

Laura<3

Sunday, February 24, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 24= MAC Betty Bright Lipstick from the new Archie's Girls collection

Another day in the 28 Day, another MAC lipstick to show you guys. I actually just bought this lipstick on Friday in Dundrum. I had no idea that the Archie's Girls collection had been launched. I thought it was the first Thursday of every month so I was surprised to see the decals in the window when I walked by BT2. I couldn't not pick something up from this collection, just look at the packaging. It's so cute and quirky plus I just love comic book prints. Before this range of products came out, not going to lie I never heard of Archie's Girls. After googling a bit about my comic books, I realised fast that they were released way before my time. I find the whole story behind the comics to be really interesting though, love the illustrations.
The lipstick I picked from the collection was Betty Bright, this seemed like the most wearable shade for me. After I seen it over on Milkteef I knew I had to have it. It's a lovely peachy shade which I think will be just perfect for Spring and Summer. I did think it was quite in your face when I first applied it but after a while it grew on me and I love it. I may pick up some more bits from this collection as I do think it's going to sellout really fast.The new Pearlmatte powders look gorgeous, I'm scared to see how much they convert to in Euro. We get seriously robbed over here, I have a sneaky suspicion that they could be €26 or more. I really want to get one though the packaging is so nice and I think it's the nicest collection they've come out with for a while. I don't want to go to wild though cause I want to be good and save this month.

What product have you picked up from this collection? Any recommendations?


Laura<3

Saturday, February 23, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 23= Laura Mercier Rose Lip Glace

I can't believe there's only four days left in this tag from tomorrow. The month of February has seriously flown by. We had the strangest weather ever today, it SNOWED!! Not that it stuck where I live but exciting all the same. I also went shopping in IKEA today so expect to see a bit of a haul post soon. I'm very happy with what I picked up, I literally can't go there without buying something. I may put up a haul post tomorrow so let me know if you'd let to see one. The lip product I used today was a mini lip gloss from Laura Mercier. This came in a little Christmas set with three other lip glosses. I remember getting this on Sale for about €25 so it was a pretty good bargain. The mini size makes these lip glosses ideal for travelling, they also fit perfectly into my makeup bag without taking up too much space. Rose is a shade that I wasn't immediately drawn to in this set but it quickly became the one I used the most
Rose is a gorgeous reddish pink shade that looks beautiful. This product sits really nice on the lips and isn't sticky at all which can turn me off a lip gloss in a second. I hate when it's windy outside and my hair gets stuck in my lip gloss there's nothing that annoys me more. These lip glosses have an unusual scent, I can't put my finger on what it is exactly but I really like it. I've bought a full sized Laura Mercier Lip Glace before and they aren't pocket friendly. I'll definitely be using this miniature all up before I repurchase a new one but I have a feeling this one will last me a while.

Have you tried any Laura Mercier products? What's your favourites?

Laura<3

Friday, February 22, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 22 = MAC's Syrup lipstick

Out of all the MAC lipstick I own Syrup is the one that I reach for the most, it's pretty much my go-to everyday shade. This one would definitely take you from dawn til dusk, it's so wearable. It's a gorgeous sheer pink colour with a hint of plum. I love it! I think this shade would pretty much suit anyone. It's a must in my collection and I always have it with me in my makeup bag. I'm almost done with this one so you may see this in a haul post very soon.

Ugh I wish I hung around in Dundrum after work today. One of my favourite authors Nicholas Sparks was in  town today with Hollywood heartthrob Josh Duhamel (swoon) and Julianne Hough. They were over here for a special screening of their new movie Safe Haven. All three were also in Easons in Dundrum today signing the book which I'm raging I missed. Josh Duhamel is such a hottie so it would of been amazing to get a picture with him. I've read the book already and needless to say it's amazing. I'll definitely be dragging Paddy along to the cinema to see it when its released here on the 1st of March. I headed back down to Dundrum and walking by Easons I seen they had signed copies of the book for sale. Of course I couldn't not buy one, it's signed by the author and the two stars. This will definitely take pride of place on my bookshelf. I hope Nicholas Sparks brings out a new book soon it's been too long since is last one.
Have you tried this lipstick? What do you think of Syrup?

Laura<3

Thursday, February 21, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 21 = YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in Frivolous Pink

Tomorrow is Pay Day and I couldn't be more excited. February is indeed the shortest month of the year but for me it seemed like the longest. I guess this resulted from it being my birthday month, I treated myself to a lot. I'm not going to go to wild this month considering I have two holidays to save for London and New York, I have a feeling a lot of shopping will be done in both locations so I can't wait. One thing I do want to buy this month is the new Revlon Nearly Naked foundation. I've seen a couple of reviews on numerous blogs and it sounds really nice. I just haven't seen it in my local Boots yet so hopefully it's instock tomorrow.
I got this YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in the January Sales after Christmas. I haven't given it too much loving since I bought it. Frivolous Pink is a baby pink shade that is definitely brighter on the lips then I though it would be. This is probably why I haven't used it too much since I bought it. A shame seeing as I love the brand and the packaging of this product is so luxurious, the lipstick itself smells pretty nice too. This lipstick is extremely pigmented with a creamy formula which is a good thing but sadly I just don't think it looks too well on my lips. As it have a very creamy formula I also find it kinda messy to apply too and there's been certain occasions where I've found this on my teeth. I find this lipstick unflattering when I'm having one of those dry lip moments too. I've heard the brand have brought out new Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks, I have a feeling these gems will suit me better. They leave a nice glossy finish on the lips which is right down my street as opposed to the opaque finish of the original Rouge Volupte. I've been trying to use Frivolous Pink more by smudging it when I apply it. This is a bit time consuming but after spending so much money on this lipstick I really want to make it work.

Any suggestions on how to make this lipstick more wearable?

Laura<3

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 20 = Wet n' Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in Breeze

My lovely friend Sinead brought me back one of Wet n' Wild's Silk Finish lipsticks from her recent holiday to Florida. I'm not going to lie I'm was pretty jealous that she got to go to this amazing destination. Not only for the amazing makeup stores she got to go to but also the theme parks. I want to go to Harry Potter Land!!! Anywho Wet n' Wild is a gorgeous makeup brand that is only available in the States so it's almost impossible to get it over this side of the pond. This is such a shame as their products (eyeshadow palettes in particular) are amazing and so affordable. Perfect for students like myself.
Breeze is a lovely pale beige shade with a frost finish. I know a lot of people don't really like this finish but it works really well for me. Again this a gorgeous everyday lip colour which would look gorgeous with a smokey eye. This is another really wearable neutral shade which would be a great addition to any collection.I can definitely see a trend building during this tag, I've used mostly neutral shades throughout but they really are my favourites. When applied, these lipsticks do have a light fruity scent which isn't offensive, I actually kinda like it. They don't stick around on the lips too long but for the price you can't go wrong with these babies. I can't believe these lipsticks retail for $1 in the States, seriously what a bargain. I'm definitely going to pick up a couple when I go to New York.

Have you tried any Wet n Wild lipsticks?

Laura<3

Lovely Gifts I Got for my Birthday

As you probably know last Friday was my birthday, I was the big 23. It was such a lovely day from start to finish, it couldn't of been better. I thought I'd share with you the presents I received this year. I really wasn't expecting so much as I didn't celebrate a milestone birthday or anything but I'm really grateful for everything I got.
My lovely boyfriend Paddy bought me a new camera which I'm in love with. It's a Fujifilm Finepix S4300 and I absolutely adore it. It's a bridge camera so in simple terms it's half way between a standard digital and SLR. It is just perfect for me and I've already started using it so much. He got me the carry case to go with it too, so I'm basically sorted. I'm still trying to figure out how it works and such but expect to see a lot of pictures in upcoming blog posts. I've wanted a new camera for ages but saying that I'm still going to hold on to my old school pink digital. It did me well for the past couple of years and I know I won't be bringing my new one on nights out. Paddy also picked me up some beauty related bits, a Philosophy and This Works gift set. I haven't tried too many products from the latter so I'm looking forward to giving them a go as I've heard very good things. On the other hand I absolutely love Philosophy, their shower gels are amazing and smell incredible. This set contains four minis so it will definitely keep me going for a while.
My Nanna picked me up a new pair of runners and some workout clothes. I'm started jogging and going to the Gym more so I was really happy with this present. She did well picking out the runners  as purple is my favourite colour. I've been wearing these runners pretty much everyday since I bought them. There just really handy for walking to work, I definitely have a spring in my step when I wear these. Nanna also bought me three gorgeous notebooks which are so pretty. She knows all about my blog so I think this was a really special touch. I'll get a lot of use out of these, I'm forever jotting down notes. My Aunty picked me up a Philosophy gift set too. This one contains a shower gel and body lotion. Needless to say they both smell heavenly. 
My little brother Gerard bought me two books, I'm sure a lot of you have heard of Blog INC already. I'm delighted he picked both of these up for me as I love a good read. I have a feeling my Mom helped him pick out The Wah Nails Book of Nail Art as its probably not something he'd pick up himself. Some of the nail looks in the book are amazing so hopefully I'll be able to recreate some. I'll show some on the blog if I can, fingers crossed.

My lovely friend Sinead was on holidays in Florida recently and she brought me back some lovely makeup goodies. I LOVE Wet n'Wild so I was delighted to see two of their eyeshadow trios as a part of my gift. Both are so pigmented and make lovely eye looks. I just wish we could get this brand over here. She also got me one of their lipsticks which I haven't tried before so I'm intrigued to see what there like. I've heard so much about CoverGirl's new mascara Clump Crusher on numerous blogs so I can't wait to see what it's like. I heard their mascaras are similar to Maxfactor, I'll let you know my thoughts on this. Lastly she picked me up a gorgeous Essie polish in the shade Big Spender which I'm wearing on my nails at this very minute. It's so pretty, this will definitely be getting a lot of love in the coming months.
My Mom picked me up this cute Minnie Mouse makeup bag and filled it with these lovely goodies. I adore Nivea lip butters so I'm glad I have the full collection of them. They smell amazing and are so moisturising on the lips. I did get another present which I'm beyond excited about. I'm going to New York with my family at the end of the year!! I've never been before so this is going to be a trip of a lifetime. I'm going to start saving for it now as I have a feeling a lot of shopping will be done. There's so many different touristy bits I want to visit, like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building etc. I also want to go to see a show on Broadway. I really can't wait it's going to be such an amazing trip! If you have any recommendations on places I should visit definitely let me know, I'll be making lists.

Until the next post,

Laura<3

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 19 = Lush The Kiss Lip Balm

I can't believe there's only nine days left in this tag. I've really enjoyed doing it so far and I'm very proud of myself for not missing a day. Excuse my picture below, I took it at 8AM this morning, that right there is sheer dedication. Half of my forehead is gone and it's a tad bit on the blurry side but what can you do. I was in work all day today and I had a few bits to do after so I took this picture early so I wouldn't leave you guys without a post.
I'm in love with Lush so I was excited to see that they brought out a new lip balm for Valentines Day. First off I adore their lip scrubs, I have been using Popcorn so much lately as my lips are in such bad condition and I feel that it's been working amazingly well. I've tried a couple of lip scrubs from different brands but I always end up going back to Lush.I wish the same could be said about their lip balms though I've just never really got on with them at all. That is until I tried their new The Kiss, now my opinion of them has totally changed. The formula is different with this lip balm and it's way easier to apply the product to the lips. I felt with their other offerings I've tried in the past, you had to warm it up in the tin to actually be able to use it. Maybe I got one out of a bad batch who knows. The Kiss leaves a lovely sheer hint of pink on the lips, definitely one for day time. For €7.95 it may seem a bit on the pricey side of things but this will last for ages. I'm not too sure if it's still in stores now as I think it was limited edition but if you can get your hands on this lip balm, I'd highly recommend it.

What's your favourite Lush product? Did you get anything from the Valentines Day collection?

Laura<3

Monday, February 18, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 18 = MAC Pink Pearl Pop

This is just going to be a quick post before I rush off to college. I can't believe my exams start in less than two months, this year has definitely flow by. I have a couple of assignments left to do so once I get them out of the way I'll have a big weight off my shoulders. After I have my exams and assignments handed in I'm going to start planning my next trip abroad. I'm hoping to go to London for IMATS so we'll see how that pans out. I would love to go as I've never been to this city before and I heard it's beautiful. I'm more than surprised that I haven't been as I just live across the pond in Dublin. Considering I've been to Manchester three time already, I think it's about time I visited London. I have a feeling it could be extremely bad for my bank balance.
I brought into 6 empties to MAC yesterday and picked up Pink Pearl Pop. I wore it to work today and I quite like it. It's one of their new Cremesheen shades that was launched towards the end of last year. I first seen it on Sian's blog not too long ago and it was the first lipstick I swatched when I was at the MAC counter. Of course the rest was history and I left with this lippie to add to my collection. I have a ridiculous amount of MAC lipsticks, I need to start using some up. I'm forever mixing up my shade selection so I never wear the same lipstick for long. I think that's the key reason why I have so many in my collection. As you can see he shade itself is a gorgeous pink and isn't too much on the lips. I'm not the bigger wearer of bright shades so this worked perfectly for me. It's extremely buildable for those who want a stronger pop of colour. I'm glad I picked up this shade, I can see myself using it a lot over the coming months, seeing as the weather is getting that little bit brighter out. I know I've already mentioned that I have too many MAC lipsticks in my collection but there is one more I want, the new limited edition Betty Bright lipstick I spotted over on Milkteef, It's such a lovely shade and just look at the packaging it's so darling. Some of MAC's limited edition collections can be a bit hit and miss but this seriously looks like a winner. Don't be surprised if you see that lipstick floating around a lipstick collection post in the future.

What's your favourite MAC lipstick?

Laura<3

Sunday, February 17, 2013

28 Days of Kisses- Day 17 = Rituals Lip Shine in Neutral Coral

Most of today was spent tackling the mess that is my bedroom. I cleaned it not too long ago but I definitely needed to do a bit of a Spring clean, there's a lot less clutter now. I was playing around with my new camera today and I love it. Saying that it will take a bit of time for me to get use to it. It's way bigger than my old little pink digital camera. My Mom took the picture below using my new camera and I think the quality is really great.

Later on in the day I headed down to BT2 in Dundrum Town Centre. I had 6 empties to Back to MAC so I wanted to check out a few of their lippies. I finally went with Pink Pearl Pop which I first seen on my Sian's blog. It looked so pretty on her and after swatching it at the MAC counter I was in love! I'm definitely going to feature this in a upcoming 28 Days of Kisses post so keep an eye out for that.
The lipstick I was using on my lips throughout the day was Rituals Lip Shine in Neutral Coral. First off forget about the  shade name this is definitely more of a peachy shade on the lips. As the title of this product would suggest, this lipstick leaves a nice glossy finish on the lips and it's not at all drying. For me this is the perfect shade for Spring and can be used throughout the Summer months too. I not too familiar with the brand Rituals but after trying this lipstick I'll definitely be picking up a few more soon.

Hope you all had a super weekend!

Laura<3

Saturday, February 16, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 16= Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer in Celestial

Today was spent shopping with my Mom and Pops in town. We went in super early this morning before it got super busy, no one likes searching for parking including me. My Mom and I headed to New Look while my Dad went to his favourite book shop, Hodges & Figgis. I think it's way better than Easons too so I always pick up my books there. As a extra birthday gift my Mom picked me up some new clothes in New Look. I love this store and I do get the majority of my wardrobe there. They have some really nice bits at the moment plus it's not too pricey either. For a poor student like myself this is a key decider when buying stuff in shops. After having a good old shop around, we went for dinner in a gorgeous Italian restaurant on George's Street. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place but they do such amazing food, I love it! I'm always so full after this dinner so I left my new purchases with my parents and I met my boyfriend Paddy to go on a big walk. As I've said in previous posts the weather has been pretty good here the last few days so I didn't want to take it for granted. Who knows next week the rain could be back bucketing down again. After we finished our walk we went to the Savoy to see the new Die Hard movie. I love Bruce Willis, for me he is the King of Action movies. I've seen all the Die Hard movies and I really enjoyed this one too. I'm going to do one of my "A Trip to the Movie" posts soon as I've been to see Flight in the past week too. 
Now to what I was wearing on my lips today. Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquers have been raved about on loads of blogs over the past couple of weeks. I only picked up one shade from the range called Celestial, a really nice rose pink colour which I've been using a lot. It's so wearable and I think it would suit just about anyone. This product is super easy to apply and does last a good while on the lips. That said if you drink a lot like me throughout the day, you may need to touch up. Out of all the shades available Celestial was the only one to really catch my eye when I was in Boots, I just don't think the other shades in the range would do anything for me. How I wish I could rock some fabulous bright lippies! Since then I've seen Luna and Galaxy in a lot of reviews and they both look really nice, hopefully Rimmel will still be on 3 for 2 come payday. Sorry the flash is on in the picture above, I've literally only walked in the door less than a hour ago so it's pitch black out.

Have you jumped onto the Rimmel Apocolips band wagon?

Laura<3

Friday, February 15, 2013

23..

Today I celebrated my 23rd birthday! I had such an amazing day, the weather was fairly nice out which was a big change from the rain we've been getting by the bucketful lately. Thanks for all the lovely birthday messages you guys sent me on Twitter so nice to wake up to them. I got some really nice presents this year from my family, they were far to good to me! Paddy also got me a new camera that I'm completely in LOVE with. I can't wait to start using it, I'll probably have to read up on the manual first as I've never had such a fancy camera before. If you'd like to see a post on what I got for my birthday let me know in the comments.
I had a pretty relaxed day, Paddy and I headed out on the Dart to Dun Laoighre. We the nice weather and walked from Dun Laoighre to Killiney. It was a bit of a trek but I really enjoy this walk everytime I do it. Walking down the coast road is so nice, I love looking at all the scenery. I think we Irish can take them for granted sometimes. Saying that the horrible weather we've been having lately doesn't really help either. Throughout the walk I spotted lots of seats facing the sea, I would happily sit there and take in the view all day. On the way to Killiney Dart Station we walked by Bono's house so of course I got a snap of that, that being the big green gates outside. I forgot to take a photo the last time I did this walk so I didn't want to forget this time around. When I got the bus back home, I met up with my Mom  and went for dinner to Milanos which is kinda like Pizza Express in the UK. I think they're the same company but I'm not a 100% sure. After all the walking I did I was starving so this really hit the spot, so yummy! I didn't get to picture the food I got, let's just say it disappeared almost immediately.
I have such an amazing day, I can't believe another year has come and gone. I'm looking forward to seeing what life has in store for my 23rd year! If it's anything like the last it will definitely be a good one.

Laura<3

28 Days of Kisses - Day 15 (My Bday) = Rouge D'Armani Sheer Lipstick in Brown

Seeing as it's my birthday today I thought I'd go for a luxurious lipstick and Rouge D'Armani Sheer lipstick in Brown ticked all the right boxes with me. This is definitely one of the more pricier products in my collection. I know they retail for around the €30 but it's true what that say you really do pay for the quality. The sleek black packaging is so luxurious with the signature Giorgio Armani design in silver around the bullet, I love taking this out of my makeup bag. When you replace the lid it snaps with a magnetic click which I love hearing the sound of, right assured this won't open in your bag anytime soon.
This lipstick is amazing and one of my current favourites for February. 202 brown is a subtle pinky brown colour, that extremely wearable. On my lips it's more on the pink side of things and will go perfectly with any makeup look, a definite 'my lips but better' shade.It's applies beautifully to the lips and doesn't get stuck in any fine lines. I'm already planning out my next Giorgio Armani lipstick purchase, I'm definitely going to go for another lipstick from their sheer range. Now all I need to do is pick the shade which may be a difficult task. I'm off to start my birthday celebrations,the boy and I are going on a bit of a Dart trip but I don't know where to yet. Don't worry I'll bring my camera with me and show you all what I get up to for the day.

What do you think of Giorgio Armani lipsticks? What's your favourite shade?

Laura<3

Thursday, February 14, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 14=17 Mirror Shine lipstick in Belle

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I had such a lovely day, the boy met me straight after work and we headed into town. This is our fourth Valentines Day together and we always have a wonderful time. Paddy has his work cut out for him every year as my birthday is the day after so he always plans something great for us to do. I'm 23 tomorrow and I'm so excited. I think we are just going to have a chilled out day and maybe go out on the Dart. I'll definitely take some pictures to show you guys if we do. I picked up Paddy a couple of Valentines Day gifts, I got him a Billabong hoodie, a Brian Cox book and tickets for a gig at the end of March. We are going together so it should be nice, even though I don't know the act all that well. I also made up this mini collage of pictures from last year. I got the frame in Muji and I really like it. It's magnetic so you can swap the pictures around as often as you like.
The weather wasn't the worst today so we had a bit of a ramble around the shops. When we were walking down Grafton Street he picked me up a gorgeous bunch of roses which my Mom took for the sitting room as soon as I walked in the door tonight. We went to see the film Flight in the Savoy, we both love Denzel Washington so we couldn't wait to see the new flick. Wow it's amazing, I thoroughly enjoyed. On leaving the cinema, I forgot that the Jameson Irish Film Festival was on and we seen Tim Roth of all people. I'm a big fan and love his movies! I loved his TV series Lie to Me that was aired on Sky 1, I was so disappointed when it got cancelled. Paddy spotted Tommy from Love/Hate, I haven't ever watched the show really but I've heard good things.
On the lips today I'm wearing 17's Mirror Shine lipstick in the shade Belle. I love this lipstick, it's a gorgeous neutral pink that would go with any makeup look. I have a couple of different shades but Belle and Beehive are my favourites. I'm pretty sure I misplaced the latter, hopefully I can find it or I'll have to pick up another. I don't think they're too pricey either which is a good thing. The staying power isn't too great with these lipsticks but I really like the variety of shades that are in the range.


What do you think of these lipsticks? Have you tried them?

Laura<3

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

28 Days of Kisses- Day 13 = Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter

I thought I'd do something different for today and show you guys a lip product that I've been showing a lot of love to lately. Nivea's Vanilla & Macadmia lip butter is my new favourite lip product. I bought this on the 1st of February and I've been using it before applying my lipsticks  so far during this tag. It's very moisturising on the lips and wow it smells so yummy! It's one of those products that I could happily sit around smelling all day long. I always carry it around in my bag as it's such a nifty size. For €2.95 in Boots, you really can't go wrong with this gem.
This gorgeous product is already in the running for a place in my February Favourites at the end of the month. Nivea have a selection of three other lip butters to choose from, Raspberry Rose Kiss, Caramel Cream Kiss and Smooth Kiss (non scented). I seriously want them all they're so nice! It's good to know they won't break the bank either.

By the way, sorry this post is super late again you guys. College and work are starting to get seriously in the way of things. I left the house at 8 o'clock today and I've only arrived home now, only cause I stayed out to walk the Real Madrid v United match after college. It was a must, I'm delighted United got their away goal, makes things easier when they play their home fixture. In other news I got my first assignment results back, I got a Merit in Marketing and I'm beyond chuffed with myself.

Do you have your eye on any of the Nivea lip butters?

Laura<3

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

28 Days of Kisses - Day 12= Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in Rose Millesime

Sorry this post is going up a bit late. I had such a busy day and I'm literally just in the door.  Straight after work I went out shopping with my Nanna and my Auntie for the day. They picked me up some of my birthday gifts which I'm very happy with. They are way too good to me! After a nice browse around all the shops we had some lunch in the Vanilla Pod. It's such a nice restaurant, I love it. I got my usual Chicken Caesar salad but wow it was so yummy. They had this special homemade dressing which was different to anything I tasted before. I had such a lovely time and I hope to do it again soon, as I feel like we haven't had a proper day out together in ages.
 
My Auntie was kind enough to take this picture after our lunch. It's another Rouge Edition lipstick from Bourjois which you may remember from my 1st 28 Days of Kisses post. This wouldn't be a shade I'd usually go for, as you can see in the picture it's a bit on the bright side. Rose Millesime is a bright rose shade. When I picked this up I didn't think it was going to be so vibrant, I was expecting it to look similiar to Rose Tweed. I couldn't of been more wrong, they look totally different but that said I actually really like this lipstick. I think it would be great for people like myself who don't go for bright shades, it's definitely a step on the ladder anyway. My Nanna was quite fond of this lipstick so I'm going to pick one up for her come payday next week. They have a great range of shades so who knows I may get one for myself too. I wonder is there any nice peachy shades.

Have you picked up any new Rouge Edition lipsticks?

Laura<3

Monday, February 11, 2013

Lancome 'In Love' Collection for Spring 2013

Another Spring Collection that caught my eye this month is Lancome's 'In Love' collection. The lovely Emma Watson (aka Hermione Granger) is the face of the campaign and wow she looks stunning in it. She brings something new to the brand and opens them up to a younger audience too.
 I've been trying out two products from the range, Baume In Love and Vernis in Love. Needless to say I adore both of them. A La Folie,Cherry looks like a light purple shade in the buller but on the lips it comes up a gorgeous sheer pink. I think this would work well throughout Spring and Summer, it's so wearable. The product is also moisturising on the lips which is a plus for me because mine are always dry. I already featured this product in one of my past posts which you can see here. Now on to the nail polish, Rose Macaron is a beautiful fuchsia pink shade which I've been loving on my nail lately. The only way I can describe it is Spring/Summer in a bottle, you'd definitely get plenty of use out of this. In the picture above I used two coats but one would be perfectly fine. The polish gives a pretty glossy finish, I got so many compliments when I was wearing this on my nails. Something that I always like to hear!
Another new launch from the brand is their Teint Visionnaire which is being launched on the 14th February (Valentines Day). After the success of their Visionnaire serum, Lancome have brought out their new foundation which is a mixture of makeup and skincare in one. I've never seen this before so I was instantly intrigued by this product. I haven't tried their raved about Visionnaire serum but I've heard amazing things. I got matched to the shade 010 at the launch last year and I've already added it to my wishlist. You can see the foundation in action in one of my past posts which you can find here. It has a gorgeous natural finish which I love.This is one lovely product that I'm sure fans of the brand will love. The luxurious packaging is what first caught my eye, it's gorgeous. It's a bit of a all in one product, not only do you get a foundation but hidden in the lid is a concealer too. The foundation itself retails for €45 which isn't too bad for what you get.  There's 18 shades to choose from in total and I've photographed a couple in the above picture (LtoR - 01, 005,007,045,055). I can see this foundation being very popular indeed and I can't wait to snap up a bottle myself this Thursday just in time for my birthday.

What do you think of the new offerings from Lancome? 

Laura<3