July Empties

Sorry for the serious lack of posts during the month of July, I've been unbelievably busy and haven't gotten a spare second.  I'm happy to say I'm back again, I have a couple of ideas for a series that I'm hoping to start in August which I'm sure you guys will love. I'm not going to say too much about it in case it falls through but it's looking promising so far. Seeing as it's the end of July I guess it's time for another Empties post. As you can see from the picture below I don't have too much to show you guys. I don't think I've done an empties post before that hasn't micellar water, I fly through them at a ridiculous rate.

I'm sad to have come to the end of my Ralph Lauren Big Pony Fragrance (#4).  I got this in a set in the January Sales so it has lasted an age considering it has been my signature fragrance for the last couple of months. Many people have commented on this fragrance when I wear it. It is a light floral scent which isn't offensive so I'm guessing a lot of people get drawn to this one. Of course I love the bottle as my favourite colour is indeed purple. I still have the body lotion in this scent left over from the set so I'll certainly be using that up too. I may make a sneaky repurchase of this in Dublin Airport the next time I'm going on holidays which is in the near future.

I've already repurchased Catrice's Camouflage Cream and it was pretty hard to come by as it was out of stock in most Penneys  that I visited. Penneys on Henry Street was a winner and picked one up in there over the weekend. When I first purchased Catrice's Camouflage Cream I wasn't expecting too much from it but  I ended up falling in love with this product. When I'm having a bad skin day this is a full coverage concealer that will hide anything. Considering I purchased this for around €4 I was super impressed with it and believe me when I say this little tub with go an awfully long way. The only issue I think people will have a problem with is the shade selection. I  use the shade Ivory which is the perfect match for me but it is also the lightest shade and I can see it being way too dark for people.

 Of course as I said above it wouldn't be an empties post without a micellar solution. My Cleansing Water empty this month comes from No7. I featured this countless times already in a favourites and an empties post so I won't ramble on too much about it. I've been using No7's Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water for ages now and I always go back to it. In the evenings I apply some to a cotton wool pad and it removes my makeup effortlessly. I find this doesn't irritate my eyes either which is a plus. I do tend to stock up on these when Boots bring out their No7 vouchers so if you want to try it I'd definitely keep and eye out for those. A makeup remover I wasn't too impressed with was Loreal's Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. I had to go through so much product just to remove my eye makeup. If you want a eye makeup remover to take off your eye makeup quickly this definitely isn't it! It's disappointing considering I absolutely loved the micellar solution in this skincare range but in my opinion this is a product to stay clear of.

Lastly I have a mini bottle of OPI's Nail Envy. Even after using this all up I can't give a verdict on it as I did find the bottle to be quite small. My nails aren't in tip top shape at the moment and I think they would need more than a tiny bottle of nail strengthener to be in good condition again. Saying that I have read really good reviews on this product so I may take the plunge and buy a full sized bottle the next time I'm walking by Sally's in town.

Have you tried any of the products above? Would love to hear your thoughts on them?

Laura <3

Urban Decay Ammo Palette

When people think of Urban Decay, their much talked about Naked Palettes come to mind, I know that's what pops into my head. I do think we (myself included) tend to forget that the brand have so many more palettes on offer. One that is definitely a winner for me is Urban Decay's Ammo Palette* which was relaunched a few months ago in all new packaging and reformulated shadows. They also made room for a mini eyeshadow brush and a travel size Eyeshadow Primer Potion is included in the mix too. I remember having the original palette back when I was 16, I bought it as a treat after I got my first ever job in Penneys (Primark). It was way before I started blogging and I can remember it being my prized makeup possession. I wasn't as good at applying makeup back then as I am now so let's just say I probably came out with some questionable looks using this palette. I for one love the new packaging, first off it has a big purple design on it and we all know that's my favourite colour. Secondly the old velvet style packaging used to get dirty so quickly with makeup fingerprints while the new one would be easily wiped clean.

I love this palette, it would be ideal for travelling as it contains a fair share of neutrals and fun vibrant shades. It's a bit smaller than my hand, so it would fit into a makeup bag easily which is always a plus. Of course like with all Urban Decay palettes there are a few cross over shades, but I do think this would be the perfect addition to anyones makeup collection, as there is a good selection of shades in it. I can see myself using every shade in this palette, at first I thought I'd steer clear of 'Shattered', however after using this palette for  a while this shade is great along the lower lashline for a pretty Summer look. I'm glad that 'Sin' is included in this palette too, I use this shade in so many ways as all over lid colour, on my brow bone and in the inner corner. It's just one of those versatile shades that you're always going to use. All the shadows in this palette are extremely pigmented as you can see from the swatches below. The only one I had some trouble with was 'Polyester Bride', that took some work as it is kind of on the gritty side. My favourite combination at the moment is 'Chopper' all over the lid with 'Last Call' blended into the crease. It's such an easy simple eye look for everyday I love it! One thing to bare in mind is that all these shadows are shimmery and contain glitter so if you don't like either this may not be for you. It doesn't really bother me as I actually always do my eye makeup before applying my foundation, so I can always just wipe it away.

I don't think you can go wrong with this palette, there's shadows for different occasions throughout the Summer, e.g Holidays, Festivals, etc. aswell as neutral shadows that would be perfect for everyday. All these shadows are available to buy individually but it works out way better value to go for the palette as the price for this comes in at €29 (€5 less than two single eyeshadows). I personally find it takes me for ages to finish one single eyeshadow so the Ammo Palette is perfect for me.

What's your favourite Urban Decay palette? Is the Ammo Palette up your street?

Laura<3

Parklife!

Who doesn't love the gorgeous weather we're currently having? We've been having an heatwave in Ireland at the moment and I'm loving every last minute of it. A couple of weeks back Paddy started an internship, he'll be working away there until the end of October. Having a bit of free time on my hands on Wednesday I hopped on the bus and met him after work. With the weather being so nice lately we decided to get some lunch and sit in the park. Whilst Paddy opted to get Supermacs, I went for pad thai noodles from Diep. I've never heard of this particular food chain before so I wasn't too sure on it at first. In the end it was really good, kinda expensive but the fact that it was yummy was the main thing.

Here are a couple of photos we took, Paddy's offices are right beside the sea so he has this beautiful view to look at on the way to work everyday. I never do outfits of the day post for some I don't know why as it's always been something I've wanted to start doing for a while. My dress below is from Dorothy Perkins whilst my cardi is from New Look. My Mum bought me a gorgeous bag from Penneys when I was going to London not too long ago. It's not pictured below but I may feature it in an upcoming post. I love it, it fits absolutely everything into it whilst still looking smart. My favourite nail polish for Summer is Cake-Hole from Butter Londons new Autumn/Winter collection. It's such a fun shade that I can see a lot of people loving, I don't think the picture below does it justice plus my nails are a little chipped. The collection itself consists of  five neon polishes and a white base coat, I'd definitely keep my eyes peeled for these. The only downside of the day was that I broke my sunglasses. This is the second pair I've broke in the last month, thank god they weren't expensive. I want to get another pair of aviator style sunglasses, have you guys seen any nice ones around?

 I'm hoping this gorgeous weather sticks around for a while. It definitely makes people seem in better form that's for sure. I still haven't managed to get a tan but I hear the weather is supposed to be amazing over the weekend so I think a trip to the beach is in order.

What have you been getting up to while the weather has been amazing??

Laura<3

Pre-Payday Haul!

With Payday still being a week away I think it was a extremely bad idea on my part to go shopping. There's just been so many new products being released over the past while I couldn't help myself. I don't think I'll be buying anything beauty related for a while now, I want to start using up more products so expect a big empties post coming your way soon. This month I want to pick up some new clothes so come next Friday I'll be hitting up New Look and Awear. With my success with the Slimming World program I've found that a lot of my clothes in my wardrobe are too big which is a good thing but a bit of an issue when I have nothing to wear. Don't worry though I'll certainly be writing beauty related posts in the coming weeks. I have a lot of products that I've been loving lately that I want to show you all.

I was eyeing up both of these items in work for a while until I finally caved and bought them. I'm forever jotting down notes for blogging so I decided to pick up another. Sure you can never have too many, right?? I just love the cover design it's really fun! This was €4.95 in the Sale so it didn't really break the bank. Accessorize always have amazing sales, definitely worth popping down to if you want to find a bargain or two. The Lip Smacker Cupcake Lover's lip balm set was a impulse buy on my half. I thought they looked so cute in their little cupcake shaped pouch. I know Lip Smackers aren't the most moisturising lip balms so I'm not expecting too much from them in regards to hydrating my lips. However each lip balm has a different cupcake flavour which in my opinion sounds amazing! Not going to lie I was sold after I seen that. I haven't tried these yet but I shall let you know what I think of them soon. I'm going to try the Salted Caramel lip balm first, it sounds so good!

Of course I picked up a few things from Boots, it's one of those shops I can't walk by without popping in for a little look. I picked up three products while I was there, one being the new Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser. I've used this a couple of times already and I absolutely love it. I like how it's quick and easy, great for when I'm on the go in the mornings. I really think this would be a great little product for someone who is stuck for time and wants something that works in seconds. I opted for the Cocoa Radiant scent, there are another two to choose from but this one smells the best in my opinion. I will admit it is on the expensive side at over €6 but I know I'll get a lot of use out of it myself. I know when I seen it at first it looked kind of gimmicky but let me tell you this works. I aso bought two new  makeup releases from Max Factor and Rimmel. I'm really looking forward to trying out both of these products. I seen such a good review on the Rimmel Scandaleyes on Fleur De Force's blog so I have high hopes for it. I love mascaras so when I seen the new Max Factor Wild Mega Volume I popped it in my basket. It's on special at the moment so how could I resist? The package is really different in comparison to other offerings from the brand but  it did jump out at me right away which I guess is a positive!

Paddy picked me up the new issue of Allure magazine, the gorgeous Amy Adams is the covergirl for July. I've been getting this magazine for the past few months now and I really enjoy reading it. I love hearing about all the new products that are coming out on the market aswell as getting some much needed tips and tricks.The only problem is that we have to wait for a while for them to be released on this side of the pond. For around the €6 mark some may think this magazine is pricey but there's a lot of reading in it and some really good articles. While I was waiting for Paddy to finish work the other they I stumbled upon a Bargain Bookshop where I picked up Vanity Fair. All the classics in the store were only €3 which is a steal, it was so hard to decide on one as there were so many to choose from. Keep in mind it will take me a while to finish this as the writing is tinny tiny but I'll definitely let you know what I think.

All in all I'm really pleased with all my purchases. I can't wait for Payday to roll around, don't know what I'm going to do for a week with zilch money. I would love to know what you guys have picked up shopping recently.

Laura<3

Justin Timberlake at Phoenix Park!

On Wednesday evening I headed along to see Justin Timberlake with my two buddies Sinead & Nabilah. We bought the tickets a couple of months back so I was really excited when the day finally came around. We were a tad bit late when we arrived as the walk to the concert area takes quite a while, I think the two girls will agree with me on that one. The Coronas had already taken to the stage when we finally got there. They aren't a band I'd be the biggest fan of but I did enjoy their set  I must say. They played all their well known hits which definitely got the crowd going. We missed X Factor Winner James Arthur's set completely, I do have a sneaking suspicion he may not played at all though. For a last minute stand in support act for the absent Jessie J, The Coronas did such a good job. Don't get me started on Jessie J cancelling, it was ridiculous seeing as she took to the stage two days later. Bad form considering it's the second concert she's failed to perform at over here! Enough talk of that though!

The man himself, Justin Timberlake AKA The Trousersnake took to the stage at 9.15pm. I've already seen him play here back in 2007 with my Sister Lisa at the RDS which was amazing. However this show was definitely hit the ball out of the park!  I was worried that the show would be made up of songs that are completely unknown to me from his new album but he played all his oldies e.g My Love, Senorita, Cry Me a River etc. He did play Mirrors which is the only song I know from the new album and my probably by the look of things be my favourite. I wasn't too gone on Suit & Tie but the latter made up for it! We definitely got our dance on throughout the the concert by the time it was over we were totally danced out. Of course the three of us got a bit snap happy, we must of taken a hundred pictures each. He closed the show with SexyBack which was a great choice for the final song of the night, it was the one everyone was waiting for.

I know the tickets for Justin Timberlake were pretty pricey (€85) but he certainly didn't disappoint! I'd definitely go and see him again if he played here. I don't know if I'd go to a concert in the Phoenix Park again as the walk to the actual concert area was atrocious, so long. Don't hold me to that though as if a act I really love is playing there next year I may make a return!

The weather was so nice on the day and it's been really nice since. I'm hoping to get a bit of a tan next week considering I'm not in work full days next week. I'm hoping to go along to Electric Picnic at the end of Summer. My little brother already has his ticket and I'm not going lie I'm uber jealous! I want to see Arctic Monkeys, I'm a huge fan of theres and of course I love Alex Turner. 

Are you going to any Summer gigs this year?? Do you find them a bit pricey?

Laura<3

June Favourites

I can't believe July is already upon us. In my mind it's supposed to be the hottest month of the Summer and if the weather stays the way it is now for the next week or two I'll be happy. June was a pretty busy month for me, it went by unbelievably fast. One of the highlights for me this month was heading over to London, you can read all about my adventures over there here. If you haven't yet read my London posts I had an amazing time and I really want to go back over before the end of the year. There's so much cool things to do in that city, I would need so much more time to see them. The majority of my favourites are ones that I brought along to London with me. When I'm travelling abroad I like to just bring products that I know I'll use. On past trips I went a bit over the top with bringing makeup with me which results in it being untouched for the duration of the holiday. Of course I did pick up a lot of beauty bits over there, thank god I remembered to check in a bag.

I'm not big on tanning products but over the Summer months I've decided to use them a little more to give myself a natural glow. When I seen the new Bourjois Bronzing Range, I immediately wanted to give the primer a go. I always use a primer before I apply my makeup as I have Combination/Oily skin if I didn't use one I get my makeup would just slide off my face. With this product I was killing two birds with the one stone, getting my makeup to stay intact all day and achieving a Summer glow too. Not only have I been using this under makeup, I'm been putting it over my foundation as a cream bronzer and it looks great. For the price, I'll definitely be picking up another soon. I'm not too sure if it's permanent or not, something I'll have to check that out. I'm undecided on trying their new Bronzing BB cream, I have a feeling it could be a little too dark from what I've seen in the shop. Have any of you guys tried it??

I've always been a big fan of MAC makeup, I do agree that some of their limited edition collections can be a bit hyped up though. When I first spotted the Temperature Rising Summer I was immediately drawn to their Bare My Soul eyeshadow quad. First off this palette isn't housed in the usual MAC black packaging but in a nice burnt brown affair. I'm actually digging it, I love when they come out with limited edition packaging it's even better when the product itself performs well too.However when I went to the till to pay for my purchases I was shocked to hear that this was €52.50, I know pricey! I was so glad I took the plunge and got this though as it was the only palette I used while I was in London. Unlike the usual limited edition palettes this one contains ultra wearable shades that are ideal for everyday. I think this palette would be all you need for weekends away as it would talk you from day to night. My two favourite shades are Romantico (shimmery) for all over the lid and Friendly (shimmery chocolate brown) in the crease. If your not big into shimmery shadows this palette won't be for you. As it is unfortun.;ately limited edition I guess it would be unlikely to still be on counters.

A lip product that I've been using a lot this month is from Essence and it's their Stay Matt Lip Cream in  Velvet Rose.  It's a gorgeous dusty pink shade that is perfect for everyday. I actually picked up another shade aswell called Soft Nude and it's really nice too. These both smell amazing like sweet caramel! I'm pretty sure these ring in at €3 each which isn't to bad for a new lip product. If I feel my makeup look needs a little something different I pop on Velvet Rose and it definitely completes the whole look. As this is a matte lip cream it does stay on the lips for a while, however as with all matte lip products I'd recommend using a lip balm before applying. This brand can do no wrong in my eyes, their budget friendly range will forever be favourites of mine. For instant if I was stuck without a concealer or foundation just before Payday, I know I'd be able to pick up some for less than five euro which is amazing!

My last makeup related favourite is Benefit's Hello Flawless powder. I got matched to the shade "I love Me" Ivory at an Benefit launch a couple of months back. At first looking at the shade I thought it was going to be a little bit too dark for me. After I started using it at the beginning of June, I fell in love with it. As always with Benefit the packaging its fun and quirky. Included is a sponge and a little brush but I've been using my own brush and tapping of the excess, a little bit of this goes such a long way. Depending on what kind of coverage you want you can go from sheer to full with this. I find its really good for topping up my makeup during the day and its the perfect size for my handbag too. As this is the lightest shade I don't know how this will suit people that are fairer than me. I'd recommend getting colour matched at one of their counters before purchasing it.

Paddy bought me this gorgeous skincare treat a while back and I'm so glad he did. Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is a product that I have been reading rave reviews about all over the blogosphere. I decanted this into a small travel tub for when I went to London and it did the world of good for my skin. After travelling from East London to West London pretty much over the whole weekend it was nice to get back to the hotel and slap some of this on my face. This stuff smells AMAZING, just like peaches! It's just a lovely treat for my skin and it laps this product up. Paddy even used some when we were in London and he said his skin never felt as good the next day, maybe I have him converted to this product already. The one I got is actually in the Limited Edition 50ml packaging that came out a month or so ago. If you're trying to look for this at Origins counters it comes in a green tube. Even though this is only 50mls it seems to be lasting forever.I'm definitely interested in trying out some more bits from this brand soon as I haven't tried an awful lot from them. If your at all familiar with the brand I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Fleur de Figuier is the latest fragrance from Roger & Gallet and it's perfect for the Summer. I'm already planning on picking up the shower gel in this beautiful floral scent, I'm hoping they have a body lotion to go alongside it too. I definitely agree that fragrance is very personal, I know it's so hard to go into a shop and pick one out for a friend. I'd recommend going into a store that stocks Roger & Gallet to give this one a sniff I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I'm a big fan of their new travel size bottles, this fits in my handbag perfectly without taking up too much space. I do believe their whole fragrance range comes in these travel sizes now so if this scent isn't for you there's a variety of others to choose from.

Another travel size product I used over in London was Bath & Body Works Sweet as Paris body lotion. How I wish we could get this brand in Ireland, I know I for one would keep them in business here. I just love how all their products come in little cute travel sizes. Again this took up hardly any room in my travel makeup bag. I used this every night before I went to bed in London and I still have a significant amount yet which is good for a product of this size. It have a lovely sweet scent but isn't sickly. Sweet As Paris is a really light lotion that sinks into the skin fast whilst leaving it really soft. I hope I get a chance to go to America in the near future as I want to stock up on my favourite scents from this brand.

So that's all my favourites for the month of June, I'd love to hear yours!

Laura<3

June Empties

 I haven't done an empties post in quite a while. I should really be calling this post, April/May/June Empties, the reason for me not doing one of these posts is simply because I didn't have any finished products to show you guys.Even though this is three months worth of empties there's not too much here. It has been taking me ages to use up bits and bobs lately, I really need to put the pedal to the metal and start using more beauty products. I may start doing some Shopping the Stash style posts as I definitely have some products that are being unloved. Sure July is upon us now, hopefully it's a turning of a new leaf and I'll have another empties post next month too.

I'm going to start off with my makeup empties which mostly consists of Rimmel products. The favourites from the brand for me has to be their Wake Me Up Concealer and Stay Matte powder. I've gone through so many of these product, unfortunately this Stay Matte Powder actually smashed whilst it was in my bad. I wasn't too disappointed as it was nearly all used up anyway. I get the shade 001 Transparent which I'm sure will match any skin tone. This is such a brilliant all over powder for the price, I always throw it in my bag for a night out as I know it will be easily replaced if I mislay it. I get about a month or so out of one of these powders, I tend to stock up on them when Boots have their famous 3`for 2 promotion on. I can't stand the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (the lightest shade was way too dark for me) so I was really surprised to find that I liked the concealer. I mainly use this under the eyes to cover up pesky dark circles and they work really nice. I do tend to set them with a bit of powder too so it sticks around til the end of the day. I definitely prefer this concealer over the much talked about Collection offering. I hate to say it but I have a couple of fine lines under my eyes and I feel that the Collection concealer enhances them resulting in them looking way more noticeable. Not a look I want to go for. A new foundation I tried from the brand was their Match Perfection foundation. Having tried their Wake Me Up foundation I wasn't expecting too much from this one but I actually love it. I got the shade Ivory which for me was a little too dark. I did repurchase it in the shade Light Porcelain which is a tad bit too light for me so I think I may just stick with Ivory next time and possibly use a bit of tan. This foundation contains an SPF18, I apply it using my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and it just gives a lovely light flawless finish. Lastly I have a mascara, it takes me so long to finish these! My friend Sinead picked this up for me when she was in Florida earlier this year. The Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara does exactly what it says on the tin. It gives  volume without the clumps, so you can apply as many coats as you want without leaving your eyes looking like a hot mess. I'm not going to go too much into this product as we can't get the brand here in Ireland. Word on the street is that Max Factor's Clump Defy mascara is the exact same as this. I haven't tried the Max Factor but after seeing it in store the brush is the exact same so I'm guessing they do the same job. The Max Factor alternative is a lot more expensive than this one from Covergirl just bare that in mind if you decide to purchase it.

As you can see above I've used up quite a deodorants, I always carry around one in my bag with. These are the new compressed bottles that have hit the shelves, apparently their fazing out all the larger bottles in the the coming months. I for one think it's a great idea as it's way better for the environment. They do state on the cans that one of these has the same amount of product as the old school big cans. I'm not a 100% sure myself as I haven't done a whole lot of research behind but I take their word for it. I do really like the new packaging, it's great for throwing in my bag as it doesn't take up a vast amount of space like the old ones did. My favourite scent out of those pictured above is the Sure Women Bright Fragrance. I've used this particular one for ages and I always come back to it, I just love the scent.

Lastly I have my skincare empties which consists of two micellar solutions and two moisturisers. I've been a big fan of Liz Earle for a while now, I adore their Skin Repair Light Moisturiser. When my Mom went away last year she brought me back a Liz Earle Travel Kit that she got on the plane. The moisturiser isn't the one that I'd usually use from the brand so I've been using it before I go to bed. I did enjoy using it but I probably wouldn't repurchase it. However I probably will be taking a trip to Wilde & Green soon to pick up a new Skin Repair Light moisturiser. My other moisturiser empty is from La Roche Posay, another skincare brand that I'm very fond of. I really like this moisturiser as it mattifies the skin, leaving the perfect base for makeup application. My brother also uses this moisturiser aswell, he's a big fan! Two Micellar solutions I've used up out these two offerings from No7 and Loreal Paris. Having given up using wipes in favour of these I can see such a big difference in my skin. Both of these products are available in Boots and remove all my makeup effortlessly. I would repurchase both of them again, I've actually already bought a new No7 Cleansing Water. It is expensive but I usually buy a couple when Boots bring out the No7 vouchers, that reminds me I really want to try their new mascara. It sounds really good and sure I can never have too many mascaras.

Do you enjoy reading empties posts? Have you used any of the products I featured?

Laura<3