The Lo Down - Boots Haul

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I love a good Boots haul so I do. I recently told you guys how quick and easy it is to buy products from their website. You can get the products sent you your home or to your local store. It's that simple, I purchased three products on Saturday and opted to get them sent to my local store Dundrum and to my surprise they arrived yesterday, such wonderful service I have to give it to them.

I ordered two Sleek products, their colour corrector palette and their Cleopatra's Kiss highlighter palette plus I bought a Aveeno daily body lotion. The latter is a lovely product, it's a daily body lotion that I bought for my elbows as I'm getting really bad eczema by the looks of things from stress. I hope this stuff works as it seems pretty good, it was inexpensive aswell. The two Sleek palettes dont need no introduction they've been doing the rounds lately on lots of blogs and YouTube channels. They look amazing and they weren't too pricey either. Boots are currently doing a buy one get one half price. So I payed in and around €14 for the highlighters and paid €4 for the colour corrector which was a steal, definitely the best price I seen these products at.

There's definitely going to be some reviews on these products once I give them a go so keep an eye out for them.

Have you tried these products? What did you think?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Benefit Dew the Hoola Liquid Bronzer

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I always like a nice bronzed complexion over the Winter months, it certainly makes me look a bit more alive it has to be said. My boyfriend Daragh picked this up on Cloud 10 Beauty for me a while ago and I've been using it ever since. I always liked the Hoola bronzing powder from Benefit for years as it suits my pale Irish skin so I was intrigued to try the new liquid offering.

This liquid bronzer gives you a lovely natural look be it over your makeup for contouring or alone on the skin. I prefer it over makeup to be honest, a plus is that it never leaves me looking like a oompa loompa.

I apply this by applying a couple of dots to my face and blending it in nicely with either my Real Techniques Contour brush or Blank Canvas Dimension Series Angled Contour Brush. They both do the job so well. You definitely need a good tool to apply this to your skin. I think if you just used your fingers you'd make a serious mess or worse use too much product. In most of my recent instagram photos I'm using this product so as you can see it's totally natural.

For €30.95 this is an expensive product but I love it and I think it's really good for pale girls like me. I'd recommend buying it off the Cloud 10 Beauty website as they always have discounts every month or so and it's such a good website to purchase products off. I use it all the time and I've never had any issues with them. I really want to try the Dandelion liquid blush next it looks like such a gorgeous product.

What's your favourite Benefit product?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - New Products from Max Factor

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've used Max Factor products for an age, I think I started using them back in secondary school when I started first. My school wasn't so strict on makeup at all so we could wear it when we wanted except in Home Ec when we were cooking or doing practicals for exams. I opted to use Max Factor Pan Stick which looking back now was actually a bit too dark for me but sure who could tell me anything because I know I wasn't listening one bit. I'm not too sure if you can even get it now anymore but I know it was a firm favourite with my sister.

I'm going to show you some products that have been released recently or in the past year or so. I've been using them a while and so far so good I like them.

Miracle Touch Skin Smoothing Foundation

I've used this foundation before and I was quite the fan. I'm pretty sure they've reformulated it in recent times but it's still just as good. The foundation itself comes in a compact which is so handy to chuck in the bag for on the go, even better for the odd touch up here and there. I feel this product best applies which the sponge that you get with it. I usually just apply a couple of dots to my face and blend it in. This foundation is quite medium coverage and fantastic for everyday. Now the only downside for me is the shade, I was sent the shade natural not too long ago and I'm a bit too fair for it. This shade could work really well when I have a tan over the Summer but in the meantime I'm going to lend it to my Mum as she's alot darker than I am.

Smooth Miracle Primer
To go along with the Miracle Touch Skin Smoothing Foundation we have the primer which I adore. I never apply foundation without a primer as I have oily combination skin which means my foundation tends to move around a bit if it's left to its own devices. One pump of this stuff is definitely enough for my whole face which is amazing as it means the product will last ages. It's quite a light formula which I do like in a primer as I don't particularly like ones that are too heavy on my skin. This primer smooths skin texture which makes for a great foundation application so I'm happy all around with this product. Plus it has a pump which I do prefer to squeezing products out of a tube or sticking my fingers into a tub.

False Lash Epic Mascara
Now the thing that always comes to mind for me when it comes to Max Factor is their mascaras. They really are just fabulous, I've tried quite a few and they do leave my lashes looking amazing which is what you want isn't it? This mascara has quite an unusual brush it's sort of oval shaped and it fans out, at the end it has a little spikey ball which is perfect for picking up those pesky inner corner lashes. In December at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show makeup artist Tom Pecheux used over fifty tubes of this stuff to give the models showstopping lashes which goes to show that this stuff is the best.

Colour Elixir Marilyn Monroe Lipstick
Lastly we have a lipstick that everyone is sure to love. Max Factor released the Marilyn Monroe lipstick collection not too long ago. I remember at the time everyone was going mad for them and I can definitely see why. There is four lipsticks in the collection, three are made to suit different skin tones whilst Marilyn Ruby Red is the iconic red. I think this is such a good idea as some people like me may not be the biggest fan of a red lip but with this collection your sure to find a shade that suits you. I love Marilyn Cabernet, this lipstick is for darker tones but I do believe it suits me to a tee. It's a gorgeous deep red shade which would be great during the day blotted down or at night when it's all vibrant. The other shades in this collection are nice too don't get me wrong, I'm definitely going to try to wear them all more during the Spring and Summer months this year. I love the packaging on these lippies too as there just so sleek and look so pretty in my makeup bag. I definitely think Max Factor did a good job on this one.

I'm really impressed with all these products that I've mentioned. In the picture above I created a look using them all and I have to say I think the look came together really well. I'd definitely wear this look either day or night it's beautiful. Whats even better is that these products can be bought in the drugstore and aren't too pricey either which is always good to see. I'd recommend looking on the Boots website cause you can always see what products are on offer at any given time. If Max Factor is on offer I'd definitely recommend picking up the primer and mascara first, you'll always get use out of these two products that's for sure. All the products above retail for under the €20 euro mark which isn't too bad at all.

Are you a Max Factor fan?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Real Techniques Your Picks

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I'm back with some more makeup brush favourites of mine. Since they launched I've always been a huge supporter of Real Techniques. I actually was lucky enough to meet Sam and Nic in Boots Jervis St about two years ago. They were over launching a new brush and I was just over my breakdown and they were lovely. I had such an amazing time with my Dad, they even made him get into a picture which I posted on my blog you can check it out here. That was definitely a stand out day that year I was happy that my amazing Dad took the time to bring me. I seriously don't know where I'd be without that man, he means alot to me.

So back to the review I'm going to be talking about the Real Techniques Your Picks Berlin set. I bought this a while ago on Boots.ie. I have to take a minute to say how great this site is. You can opt to get the product sent to your house or your local store so things are made pretty handy for you. Plus you can collect your Boots points which I love saving up as I always treat myself to something nice. I have to say I absolutely love the brush handles on these brushes in particular out of all the brushes in my collection. They are just so fun, the handle artwork was chosen by Real Techniques followers which is such a good idea and of course they chose well as these look amazing. The artwork was inspired by Berlin, I personally love how the bottom of the handle is purple my all time favourite colour. So yeah these are a winner with me!

So what is in this set you may ask? Well first off is there much talked about buffing brush which I love for applying my foundation as it's quick and easy. This is definitely my favourite brush in this set. The second brush is their stippling brush another good one for applying the oul foundation, not going to lie I haven't used this that much. I can vouch for it being great for applying foundation though. The only two eye makeup brushes you'd ever need, the deluxe crease brush and base eyeshadow brush are also included which I love to use when I'm applying my eyeshadow. The deluxe crease brush can be used with concealer or eyeshadow so it's multi purpose. One of the stand out brushes in this set for me is the contour brush, it works really well with bronzer aswellas highlighter. I've seen some bloggers use this brush to apply powder aswell so I'm definitely going to give that a go soon.

All these brushes wash really well, I either use baby shampoo or my blank canvas solid shampoo. The only downside to this set is that it doesn't come with a holder but I have one from another Real Techniques set so it doesn't bother me too much.

At the moment these brushes are on special offer on Boots.ie and instore. Instead of paying €33.99 you get a third off and their €22.66 which I think is such amazing value for such a great set like this one. There's pretty much every brush you could need bar a powder and blush brush. I'm already really looking forward to trying the new Multi Tech collection. The eyeshadow set in this range looks amazing and comes with a pretty good looking holder aswell. Once their launched over here I'm definitely going to pick them up that's for sure.

What's your favourite Real Techniques brush?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bon eyeshadow palette

Hey Guys and Dolls,

As you all know already I love Too Faced palettes, I own quite a few to be fair. One of them is the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bon palette. It may no be my favourite palette in the range but I do like it all the same. A great array of looks can be created using the gorgeous shadows in this palette.

At €47 for these palettes they are expensive but you can't really go wrong. They contain 16 pigmented shadows in different finishes cased in a gorgeous baby pink tin. Can't you tell I love the tin! My favourite shades are Satin Sheets as a highlight and Molasses Chip for all over the lid. There's a few shades that do stand out like a sore thumb like Totally Fetch (bright pink) and Early Grey (electric blue) but they add a nice pop of colour to any eye look.

I think these are great palettes for travelling as you can create a fantastic look for day or night plus it has a pretty good sized mirror for on the go too. These palettes also look gorgeous lined up on your makeup shelve. I'm looking forward to seeing what Too Faced come up with next.

 What Too Faced palettes are a part of your collection?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Avonmore Protein Milk

Hey Guys and Dolls,

Them bones, them bones need calcium! So on and so forth this is a song that my Nanna sang to me when I was younger to get me to drink milk. She still sings it to my nephew today but she needn't worry he's a big fan of the oul bainne.

This is going to be a little different to my previous posts as it's on my new favourite milk from Avonmore, their yummy Protein Milk. I've started my fitness journey recently which you can see here and I'm always looking for something good and healthy to aid my workout. This stuff is just super it contains 27g of extra protein which is great for the maintenance and growth of muscle mass. It also has whey and casein, 1% fat which equals 5g of fat which is pretty low and calcium and lots of vitamins. So yeah this is pretty good for pre and post workout.

As I'm getting older I'm not one to drink too much milk I'm not going to lie, my little brother Ger really puts me to shame sometimes, he works out twice a day once in the morning out the back and then goes to the gym with my Dad in the evening and pretty much drinks milk all the time. I don't know how he gets the time. When the Avonmore team (thanks you guys!) looked after us with cartons of their Protein Milk in the original and Vanilla flavour I gave Ger a couple to try for himself and he lives for this stuff. He actually was so excited when he seen the Avonmore delivery man at the door.

Here is what my brother Ger thinks of Avonmore Protein Milk....

When you work out twice a day like me it's great to get a product like this that does alot for your body post workout. It's just what I need to refuel I think it's amazing how it contains 27g of protein in 500ml that's amazing. Like my sister my fave flavour by far is vanilla. If your someone who workouts and doesn't like the taste of normal milk I'd certainly give this alternative a try.  I also seen online that you can make mango and vanilla smoothies with this product which I find intriguing so I'm going to give that a go very soon indeed.

The Protein Milk website is a great site to read up more about the product, training tips and ways to get motivated. Plus more amazing recipes which I'm sure everyone will like. My aunty actually made a soda fruit cake a couple of days ago with the Protein Milk. I'm going to be honest I'm not too mas on fruit so I didn't try it but it went down a storm with my family, it's practically all gone already. 

Milk doesn't only have fitness benefits it's also good for your teeth, bones and give you glowing skin. No wonder Cleopatra bathed in it! Lastly I have to say I like how there's some arm candy aka GAA players on the cartons. I've already picked up two cartons for my boyfriend in Vanilla and he likes them alot as he works long hours and it's a good pick me up.

This product is available in 500ml and 1ltr cartons so my brother and I definitely know what we will be popping into the trolley at the shopping this weekend. It's only €1.40 for a 500ml carton so that's amazing compared to over Protein Milks on the market right now.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Zara Black Amber Eau de Toilette

Hey Guys and Dolls,

My boyfriend is a huge fan of Zara aftershaves, he has a pretty collection of them. He always smells so nice which is a good thing so I have Zara to thank for that. When his family bought me a Zara perfume for Christmas last year I was beyond excited. Black Amber is a floral and oriental scent, it has a hint of vanilla too that you can definitely smell aswell. It's a strong scent that is not at all overpowering.

The fragrance comes in a very pretty sleek black bottle which would look amazing on any beauty lovers vanity. It may not be travel friendly but you can always decant them into a travalo which are so handy. I always take them on holidays with me and you can also mix fragrance, to me that is pretty cool indeed.

For just under €10 for 100ml you really can't go wrong with this beautiful scent. I already can't wait to try some more fragrances from Zara. After trying this scent I'm expecting great things from the next one I test out in store. I think this would make a really nice gift as it's reasonably priced and smells just amazing.

What's your favourite Zara fragrance?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Penneys/Primark Ps... Oval Brushes

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I saw so many of these styles of brushes online and I was intrigued so when I saw them in my local Penneys on sale for a rather reasonable price I snapped two up. These brushes surpassed my high expectations, they are so soft and make blending makeup a dream, the finish is flawless.

They are best suited to use along side liquids, I use the large one for foundations and the smaller one for concealer. I don't have these too long so I haven't washed them yet when I do I'll report back. I wasn't too sure what these makeup brushes were going to be like when I bought them but I'm already a big fan. There is another set of smaller brushes in Penneys for eyeshadow and eyeliner, I might pick them up I'm not sure yet I don't really think they looked as good to be honest.

At €6 for the large brush and €4 for the small I didn't think these two brushes were badly priced when I seen the price of some of the luxury brands online. I use these alot so I already purchased another two to leave in my boyfriends house for when I stay over instead of lugging over a tonne of makeup brushes with me. All in all I'm very happy with my purchase is it just me or are Penneys on top of  their game at the moment as they've come out with some fab product. I'm loving their candles and bedding.

Have you tried this style of makeup brushes? Whats your thoughts?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Nimue Skin Regulator and Moisturiser Lite

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I love skincare! I like giving my skin much needed nutrients on a daily basis. There's no point forking out mega bucks on expensive makeup when your base isn't in tip top condition. I've tried different skincare over the years but now I've realised how important it is to stick to the one brand. There's some brands I love like Bioderma,Kiehl's,Simple and Charlotte Tilbury to name a few but there's also brands I can't put near my face like Clinique and Estee Lauder. The latter made my eyes swell up really badly leaving my skin feeling terrible and I vowed to never put my face through that ever again.

Over the last few months I've been trying a couple of products from a brand called Nimue which I'm going to do a couple of different posts on. I've tried the Normal skin set which I actually can't find online but it contains some lovely mini sized products that are perfect for travelling and I've also found some new favourites. I myself have Interactive skin which is skin that shows sign of hypersensitivity, irritation and redness at times. So the ingredients in these products help combat that.

The two products that I have been liking alot lately and that I have noticed have been doing wonders with my skin are the skin regulator and moisturiser lite. You use the products in that order and I just feel that the skin regulator is a nice extra step in my skin care routine after my toner. It's basically a oil free serum like product that restores health to your skin.

The moisturiser lite improve skin texture and aids hydration. It's such a neat little product and can be used day or night. I find it's super light and moisturising on my skin which is just what I need in this cold weather. It's such a nice little pampering session for your skin. I'm pretty sure 15ml is the full size for the regulator while you can purchase a tub of moisturise lite which I'm sure I'm going to purchase after I finish this 50ml tube. I'm sure they'll both last for a while cause I use them bought sparingly. The scent of these products aren't offensive either I'd almost call them totally scentless. I think the moisturise lite is also a great base for foundation as it leaves your skin really soft. I also like how the packaging is simple so it sort of lets the product itself do the talking.

I think this brand is great as you can customise the products to suit your skin type be it problematic or hyper pigmented. It's definitely worth having a look at it in my opinion. A local beauticians closed to me called Pink Beauty Boutique stock a wide range of products if your interested in going down on when you have free time to have a look.

What is your favorite skincare range on the market?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty Instant Look in a Palette

Hey Guys and Dolls,

As you all know I love a good palette. I already featured one of my favourites, The Sweet Peach palette from Too Faced in the first Lo Down I did. There are some amazing palettes out there at the moment, some containing eyeshadows, some with both shadows and face products and this palette I have to show to you is one of those.

I'm a huge fan of Mrs Tilbury's products so when I first saw this palette I couldn't wait to try it. It is on the pricier side of things at €69 but it contains everything you need to create a gorgeous glam look sans the foundation, mascara, powder, lippy and eyeliner. So in my eyes it was worth the money. So basically this palette contains three shadows ( brighten,enhance, smoke) which are so beautiful, buttery and very pigmented, then you have some amazing cheek products, two pretty blushes and a bronzer and highlighter. I love her cheek products like her eyeshadows they are exceptional. This palette in my mind is kind of like makeup by numbers as every item has a number that helps to create the makeup look if you are new to makeup which is great.

I've created a look with this palette that you can see below, I like how it's so wearable and can be taken from day to night in a instant just like what it says on the tin. The lipstick I'm wearing is from Charlotte Tilbury aswell and it's her new limited edition The Queen lipstick which I will go into detail on in the a upcoming post. So far so good I love it as I'm not a big red wearer but this shade is really wearable and glams up any look in my opinion.

I think this set  would be perfect as a gift, I know I'd be delighted with this as a surprise. There are two options the seductive beauty palette and the natural palette. I can't wait to try the latter once I save my pretty pennies up soon. The seductive palette is apparentyl based on the golden goddess look and the corresponding products that go along with it. Great idea! If the rumours are true there are more palettes to come.

I love how you can check out how to beauty videos on Charlotte Tilbury's website and YouTube channel. I find them so informative and helpful if you want to try something new with your makeup. Plus it's a great way to catchup on new beauty launches.

What's your favourite Charlotte Tilbury product? I'd love to know!

Laura<3

The Lo Down - This Works Sleep Together Kit

Hey Guys and Dolls, 

Like everybody on the planet I know like myself who has ever experienced difficulties sleeping it is a complete nightmare. It causes havoc on your skin and your mood is definitely affected. I know the latter first hand cause no one would want to be around me if I didn't get my beauty sleep. Those full eight hours are definitely precious to me. I've probably tried every remedy known to man at this stage to try and help the issue some good, some plain rubbish.

When I saw this kit on Boots.ie website in the sale I thought I'd give it a go and put it to the test. It was only about €25 euro I do believe so it was pretty good value. A bottle of the spray itself usually works out at €21.

First off this kit contains two full sized products, the deep sleep pillow spray 75ml and the deep sleep breathe in rollerball 8ml. I couldn't see the latter on the website so I'm not too sure if it is still available or if it has been discontinued. The scent of this product is distinctive and is made up of Lavender, Vertivert and Wild Camomile. I love spraying this stuff on my pillow at night it smells so nice. I really like snuggling into bed with cosy socks, fluffy pjs and a good book after I spray this and just smell the lovely scent.

After a couple of spritzes, my fave product, the pillow spray relaxes you completely with its scent until you dose off. A little goes a long way so I'm sure a bottle of this will last an age. The rollerball is a calming product also even though it isn't my favourite out of the two. It works by putting a bit on your pulse points and wrists.

If your interested in picking up some bits from This Works there is 15% off on Feel Unique at the moment. I can't vouch for anything else as I haven't tried anything else but so far I'm left impressed.

Do you have any This Works favourites?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Too Faced Born This Way Concealer

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've been quite the fan of Too Faced lately so I have. I just love their products, I have alot of their eyeshadow palettes which I use own numerous as you can probably tell on my Instagram. I recently review their Sweet Peach palette at the beginning of my Lo Down series that you can find here. It's such a lovely palette and I'd recommend it to anybody to be honest. I want to get their original Chocolate bar palette next and I want to try their mini Chocolate bar palettes they look intriguing. I hope they launch soon on the Debenhams website.

When this product in particular came through my letter box I was beyond excited to give it a go. It is on the expensive side  at €24 but it's amazing if I do say so myself. I was given the chance to try two shades, light and fair which are the second and third lightest shades available. There are ten shades in total so I'm pretty sure this product will suit just about everybody.

With ingredients such as alpine rose, coconut water and hyaluronic acid I find that ti helps with my fine lines and wrinkles plus the pesky dark circles under my eyes which I'm getting more and more of in my late twenties. Too many late nights in my youth I think. Can't believe I'm going to be 27 next month I feel so old right now but back to my review. This product leaves your skin looking fresh as a daisy and so radiant. It's even good at covering the odd blemish here and there, I'm lucky I don't get too many breakouts I drink a tonne of water since starting this health kick early this month.

There is also a Born This Way foundation that is a great companion to this concealer. It is up there with my favourite foundations so I'll definitely be featuring it soon guys and dolls. I do own alot of concealers as I like to have one whenever its needed be it on a nightout in a town or even when I'm touching up my makeup at lunch. I do have a couple of affordable faves which I will show you in upcoming posts in this series.

Have you tried this concealer? What's your favourite concealer I'd love to know.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Clarins Sweet Kisses Kit

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I hope you're enjoying the series so far yesterdays post was by far the hardest post I dare I say I've written. The feedback so far has been phenomenal and if I even help one of you guys or gals I know it's a job well done. Today's post is a little easier and it's another beauty review which I love doing. I'm forever buying makeup so when I find products that I really like I love sharing them with you guys.

When I seen this set on CH Tralee's website I out it straight in my basket. I'm a big fan of Clarins and have been lucky enough to try alot of their products and I must say there's alot of good ones indeed.
I actually discovered these when my two favourite YouTuber sisters Melanie Murphy and Jessica Brennan if you haven't already checked out these girls YouTube videos I'd highly recommend as they are amazing and their content is just great. I always sit down with a nice cup of tea when I see their videos coming up in my subscriptions. I was lucky enough to meet Melanie a couple of years ago at a Cloud 10 Beauty event in town and she is such a lovely, nice friendly girl. It's great to see Irish YouTubers in the spotlight and I can see great things in the future for both of these girls.  Well back to the product both these girls mentioned the Clarins Lip Oils a while ago and when they say somethings good I listen so of course I couldn't wait to get my hands on one so to get three in a Christmas set is a bonus. There is only three shades available so to get them all was pretty good.

After the Winter what am I saying it's still practically Winter in Ireland. That blanket in Penneys was the best investment purchase I made. Back to the review in the cold months in Ireland my lips can go sooo sore it's unreal and I'm always looking for a nice lip product that does exactly what it says on the tin and Clarins lip oils do just that. They are so nourishing and moisturising on the lips and don't leave them to sticky. I put some on in the morning and when I'm going to bed. It says that you can use this over lipstick but I haven't put that to the test just about yet.

At €39 this set is great value as one lip oil costs €21. The set consists of  Honey, Raspberry and Cherry. The latter two give a slight hint of colour to the lips. As well being moisturising, these lip oils are handbag friendly and come with a pretty makeup bag in the kit. Perfect for inside my makeup bag!

As I said earlier I've tried alot of Clarins products in the past, I can't fault them and I enjoy using them. I'm in love with their blushes especially there pretty pink shades that give a dash of colour to the cheeks. I definitely want to give their tanning products a go next for a nice glow to take me out of the cold weather.

Have you tried the Clarins Lip oils? What's your favourite product of theres?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - It's Fitness Time

New Year New You, that's the words that come out of everybodys mouth in January. A positive mantra that helps you on your journey to whatever you want to be. I quite like it as it's so positive, I take it as it is, forget about the past and look on into the future.

Since the first week in January this year I've been keeping a food diary. I've had one before and I find them super helpful to keep track on your progress, mistakes in your diet and what you want to or sometimes need to change. Weightloss journeys aren't easy, I have first hand experience on that matter. Once you fall off the horse it's sometimes difficult whatever the situation to get back on the saddle. I for one at one stage found it that bit too difficult and I'm going to tell you my story and how it's never too late to start again.

In April 2012 I started my weightloss journey which both made me nervous and excited all at the same time. I did a lot of blog posts at the time so you can check them out here! I joined Slimming World I was nervous because I'd tried weightloss groups before and some I have to say didn't quite work in my favour after a couple of months I'd lose a bit of weight and to my despair but it back on instantly so not going to lie I'd quit. Something was different when I started Slimming World I had a big burning desire to succeed this time and I did. In a little over a year I lost eight stone it wasn't easy as I changed my diet and opted for the Paleo diet which really limits you in what you eat. Kind of bad when you meet your friends for dinner, just saying! It was the first time I could comfortably fit into the clothes that all my life I wanted to be wearing pretty Taylor Swiftesque dresses that fit beautifully and I was happy. 

Fast forward to 2014 and things started to slide and I just wasn't feeling myself. I signed up to run the Mini Marathon with the paper which I thought was a good idea at the time and for months the training completely drained me. On the day of the actual Mini Marathon a family member who was super close to me like a second Mother passed away and it really broke my heart big time and still not a day goes by that I don't think of her and her witty humour. I did the Marathon in a bit over an hour I met my ex boyfriend at the finish but I have to say I wasn't feeling at all the best mentally or physically. A week later it happened when I least it expected it, I broke down completely. 

The next couple of weeks were a complete and utter blur. I went to see a doctor and explained my symptoms which is kinda difficult to explain when it's going on inside your own head. A week later I was admitted to one of the best mental health hospitals in the country where I stayed for a while. At first it scared me as it was like nothing I ever experienced before being confined in a place with other people. Slowly but surely I came around and made a lot of friends which I'll probably have for life by the looks of things. It's still great to have that support on days that I'm feeling down. After a few appointments the doctors diagnosed me with an anxiety disorder and depression and put me on a course of medication which I'm glad to say worked and I don't have to take them any more. If anyone is reading this and going through stuff like this themselves just know that it's ok to get help, you're special and so important to people around you. I know I didn't realise at the time but you really are, life is precious and you don't get a second chance at things. Medication, sometimes long term can be a great help to you in the long run. Also remember, you are not illness and never will be. Your diagnosis doesn't label you and all your good friends will still recognise you as the fun, strong and outgoing person that you always were. They will be blown away by your inner strength which you probably thought you never had but you definitely do.

When I came out of hospital I did realise I'd put on weight from not being as active as I usually had been. I didn't want to jump back into things so I gave myself a bit of a break which was much needed. Unfortunately my boyfriend and I at the time decided to call it quits which was in the best interest of both of us. As we had been through alot in those past few months. We still had the highest amount of respect for each other at the end. When you get out of hospital I think it's a good idea to take it easy but to not get too isolated and see your friends when possible. Lastly on this topic it's so important to talk, I can't state this enough. There was sometimes I didn't want to when I was so far inside my shell but I know now that that never helps noone so I can't stress it enough TALK!

Fast forward to 2016, I was back working for a short period of time and I met my now boyfriend Daragh on Tinder in June. We'd been chatting since February and after a abundance of hour long phone calls we finally met up and the rest was history. With his support I decided to start my fitness journey again. I've been eating really healthy lately and using my food diary to jot everything down. We also go for walks  here, there and everywhere which is good for fitness and also for the oul head. We are already planning some more adventures so I can't wait to see what the future holds. I know he's going to be my gym buddy everyone now and again which will be great I think. I can't thank him enough aswell cause he is just about the most laidback, friendly, understanding and caring guy I know and I love him to pieces! Of course I also wouldn't be anywhere without my amazing family behind. They have helped me through alot and always push me to succeed and achieve my goals which is really important. I'm a real go getter at times to be honest. The picture above is of me and my little brother on my last holiday before my battle with mental health began. He's a superstar and very knowledgeable when it comes to anything regarding mental health so I have a tonne to thank him for too. He's always going to be my little brother but he's definitely my best friend too. 

Now thankfully I'm more positive than ever and I know I'm going to succeed. I'll definitely keep you guys and dolls posted on my progress. Of course if you ever have any questions feel free to contact me on my email which is laura.allmadeup21@gmail.com I'll be happy to help in any way I possibly can.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Gosh Primer Plus Bases

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I hope you enjoyed the first post in my Lo Down series yesterday as you could probably tell I have a soft spot for the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette. Today I'm talking about two primers that have stolen my heart. As I have quite oily/combination skin I do like a good primer to hold my makeup in place so I do like to look out for new ones on the market when I'm out shopping.

As soon as I bought these two beauts I knew I had to feature them on my blog. There such amazing value as supposedly the brand is being pulled from Irish pharmacies. The primers usually cost €14.99/€16.00 and I purchased them at a whopper discount so they both came down to €3.50/€4.00 which is an amazing steal I was beyond thrilled and over the moon.

The Illuminating Skin Perfector and Hydrating Blur Protect Rejuvenating Base are one of the best primers I've tried in a while. My favourite primer out of the two is the Hydrating one. It's a light consistency which is quite moisturising, amazing for under makeup. The other primer is illuminating so it does just what it says on the tin and gives a nice peachy glow. 

As the products are 30ml, they are also travel friendly and fit perfectly into my everyday makeup bag which is full of my favourites which is a plus. 

I've bought two other products in the sale which I will feature at a later date but definitely during this series. With the prices these products are at now you really can't go wrong at all. The pharmacy I bought them from is Lloyd's pharmacy in Leopardstown but I'm sure you would be able to pick them up in other branches throughout the country soo Happy Shopping.

What's your favourite primer? I'd love to hear your recommendations?

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette

Hi guys and dolls,

For the next month starting from today I've decided to do a blog post everyday. This will consist of reviews, fitness updates and hauls to name a few. I've decided to call this series the Lo down as my nickname given to me by my seven year old nephew when he was just about two years old was Aunty LoLo which kinda stuck ever since. Just about everyone calls me that now including my boyfriend Daragh who might be doing a post for you guys during this series showcasing his favourite aftershaves. I think it's a good idea when you have a boyfriend like mine that you don't know what to buy for sometimes so maybe that will help you guys out, well I hope it does anyway. So back to the blogpost at hand, my first Lo Down is going to be on the much coveted Too Faced Sweet Peach palette. I missed out on this the first time around so when I seen it was being re-released I of course without a shadow of a doubt had to get my hands on it asap. So lets get started if you want to read about my views and opinions on this lovely product keep on reading.

I purchased my Too Faced Sweet Peach palette at the beginning of January off the Debenhams website. I'm always happy with the service from them so when I decide to buy a beauty item and they stock it, it's definitely my go to. The item is usually shipped within a week and it's packaged very well so to be honest you can't really go wrong at all.

I got the palette quite promptly. Debenhams must have a lot of stock as it hasn't sold out yet on the website which is a good sign this time around as when it first launched in 2016 this palette was like gold dust and you couldn't get your hands on it for love nor money. Unless you decided to go down the aul Ebay route but I wasn't to keen in handing out a €100 for a palette I could get for €47 who would like unless your crazy or minted, one or the other.

The Sweet Peach palette this time around was released with a to die for collection. The collection itself contains gorgeous scented (peach of course) lip glosses in a fab range of colours which I can see myself and lots of other people rocking over the Spring and Summer months. It also contains a blush and a highlighting blush palette, these two products already have my name on them that's for sure and I'm definitely going to pick them up when they launch on Debenhams website. From what I've seen online review wise, all the range gets a big thumbs up so I'm happy to part with some of my hard earned money to get them or hopefully possibly a well deserved 27th birthday present "Daragh hint hint are you reading this?"

So the palette itself is in my eyes beautiful and definitely a must have! It has eighteen shades in a mixture of matte and shimmer finishes. They are sooo unbelievably wearable and I've been using them day and night. I've been getting nothing but compliments on my eye looks which of course is always a good thing and puts the confidence at a high. In all my recent Instagram eye looks I have been using this palette so if you want to check them out you can here! My favourite shadows in the palette are  Luscious and Peach Pit as they work so well together to create a gorgeous glam smokey eye. Perfect for day or night! Can I just say this palette smells amazing just like a sweet peach (see what I did there?). I also love the little smiling sweet peach emoji on the packaging. AND we can't not mention the packaging. It keeps in tune with the rest of the Too Faced Chocolate bar palette, it's a gorgeous ombre effect going from light peach to coral.

All in all I genuinely have to give this palette two big thumbs up, for €47 you get an amazing range of shadows so as they say there's something for everyone in this. I know some bloggers weren't impressed in some of the reviews on YouTube but as they say you can't please everyone. I do sincerely think this palette has a good mix of shades that would take you from Spring to Winter. It's just so versatile and pigmented I think it would be a great addition to just about anyones makeup bag. I have to say this is my favourite palette from the Too Faced range followed closely by the Semi Sweet Chocolate bar palette which I'm going to do a post on in the coming week or so. If chocolate browns or nudes are more your thing definitely keep an eye out for that post which will be coming soon.

What do you think of this palette? Would it be your favourite out of the Too Faced eyeshadow range?

Laura<3