The Lo Down - March/April Favourites

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I can't believe another two months have flown by, it's insane. You know what that means it's time for my favourites and I'm so excited to show you guys what I've been loving this month. I have quite a few so lets get started.

Lee Stafford Coco Loco Shampoo and Conditioner

As I've told you in a couple of posts already, I love trying new haircare and I get the opportunity to try these two products over the last months. I love them both and I was so impressed. They smell of coconut which to me is so yum!! They also leave my hair looking amazing and squeaky clean, just what I want from any shampoo and conditioner. I highly recommend them both and I can't wait to try some more products from this line once I recover from my head surgery. I did a review recently which you can check out here.

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick and NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lip Glosses

I have two lip products to share with you guys this month. First up is MAC's Velvet Teddy lipstick. This lipstick has a huge following and is definitely one of the most popular MAC lipsticks that they have to offer. It's so easy to apply and looks beautiful on the lips. It has a matte finish and just goes perfectly with any makeup look which is why I love it so much. I'm almost all out of mine so I will definitely be repurchasing it really soon. A review of this product can be found here. The other lip product favourite of mine is from NYX Cosmetics which is one of my favourite drugstore brands at the moment. I haven't tried a product that I didn't like yet which is really good. My favourite product of theres at the moment is their Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks. They are just amazing, I adore them. They apply as a liquid and dry to a matte finish lipstick. There are so many shades to choose from and I have quite a few that I couldn't pick just one. It's definitely worth your while to go to your local counter to have a mooch if you ask me. If you want to check out my full review you can find it here.

Uriage HandCream

I love a good hand cream as my hands do get so dry as the weather is so changeable out there at the moment. I've been using a new handcream from Uriage lately and I think it's really good. It's nice and thick but it sinks into my skin right away. I carry this everywhere with me and I'm forever pulling it out of my bag when my hands are needing that extra bit of tlc. I recently was sent that intense version of this so I'll definitely let you know my thoughts soon. This handcream smells lovely too by the way. I posted a review of this a couple of weeks ago which you can see here.

Blank Canvas Makeup Brushes

I like having good tools to apply my makeup and I've looked no further than Blank Canvas Cosmetics brushes lately. This is an Irish brand and they are such good quality. I owned a couple of their brushes then when I seen that they had a sale over Christmas I purchased the Dimension Series Hamper and I'm so glad I did. It contains so many amazing brushes from face to eye so it gives great variety. I have been using these so much lately and I definitely want to pick up another set soon. If you want to see my post on these brushes you can check it out here.

Reading

Yes you read it right, I love to read! I've been reading just about anything I can get my hands on lately. I think it's so important to keep your mind active and I love being transported into another world that I made up after reading a good book. I've been reading since I was about 6 and everyone in my house calls me the reader, I'm definitely a bit of a book nerd. I've read quite a few books over the last while so if you look back over my blog you'll definitely find a good few book reviews and there'll be more to come in the next while aswell.

College

Since I did my last favourites post I started college, I actually did a post on it already a couple of weeks back. It had to make it into my favourites as I'm enjoying the course so much at the minute. At present I'm chilling out after getting minor head surgery on Thursday but I seriously can't wait to get back into college when I'm better next week. I'm learning so much and the course is full with interesting content so I'm loving it. If you didn't know I'm studying Social Media for Business in a college in Dublin and I think this course will really help my blog in the future. It's not fully focused on Social Media all the time though which I like, there's alot of marketing content. I studied Marketing in college before so I definitely have an advantage at the moment as I love the module alot. I'll definitely keep you posted with how I'm getting on with the course. Another post about my college life is actually going up on Monday or Tuesday so keep an eye out for that for sure.

That's it, my favourites for the month of April and May. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, which is alot by they way.My next favourites post will be up in July so definitely come back for that.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - January/February Favourites

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've decided to do a favourites post every two months cause I may not have too many products to talk about within the space of a month. During January and February I've come across alot of products which are now my favourites that I just had to share with you all.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette

I don't think a day has really gone by that I haven't pulled out this palette. It's so beautiful and the range of shades is amazing. I actually did a review on this that you can find here.

Benefit Dew the Hoola & Dandelion Dew

Benefit Cosmetics is one of those brands I always go back to. I just love their products and these two products are no different. Both are liquid products and they are just so easy to use. Just look at that packaging it's gorgeous. You can find the review for both products here and here!

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette - Seductive Beauty
I love Charlotte Tilbury, it's one of my favourite luxury brands they have so many beautiful products that I always reach for. Their latest product I got to try is their Instant Look in a Palette, it's all you need to create a day or night time look. It's perfect it may be pricey but I love it. You can find the review for this lovely product here.

Max Factor Fusion Mascara
Even if I don't have a full face of makeup on I love putting on lashings of mascara. Max Factor Fusion mascara is my current fave. It leaves my eyelashes looking phenomenal, loads of volume which is just what I want. I haven't reviewed this mascara yet but a review will be coming soon.

Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick
As you all know I've always been a fan of Urban Decay so of course I was excited to hear about their latest launch, the Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks. This product comes in many shades and I love the shade 22 which is a gorgeous pinky mauve shade which looks perfect with any makeup look. As there are so many other shades to choose from I'm definitely going to pick up some more soon. You can find the review for this product here.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
I loved all the Harry Potter books so I was really excited when I found out JK Rowling was writing a screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I got this as a birthday present off my Aunty Val two weeks ago and I'm just about half way through it. I really like it so far, I haven't saw the movie yet but my favourite actor Eddie Redmayne plays the lead so it's sure going to be good. I'll definitely be doing a review on this book soon once I've read it.

I hope you enjoyed my favourites, I'll be doing another one in April so stay tuned for that.

Laura<3

Roger & Gallet Precious Nourishing Body Balms

A brand that I’ve been in love with lately is Roger & Gallet. It feels luxurious but the prices are reasonable. My favourite scent has always been Fleur d’Osmanthus but recently I’ve also become fond of Fleur de Figuier.

In January they launched their latest product, Precious Revilitalising Body Balms. They come in three gorgeous scents and they do exactly what they say on the tin (excuse the pun). The balm itself is a nice thick lotion which leaves a gorgeous long lasting scent on the skin. There’s three scent options to choose from Fleur d’Osmanthus Precious Revitalising Balm, Fleur de Figuier Replenishing Balm and Rose Restoring Balm. My two favourites are Fleur de Figuier and Fleur d’Osmanthus as I’m not a big fan of the rose scent to be honest.

At €23 I don’t think this product is too pricey to be honest as I think you’d get a lot of use out of it.

Laura<3

The Body Shop Honeymania Range

Vanilla and Coconut have always been my favourite scents, I can now add honey to the mix. I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop and the work they do with Community Fair Trade, sourcing raw ingredients from all over the globe. Their new range Honeymania is a winner for me, not only does it smell amazing but it also contains Community Fair Trade honey from Ethiopia. The Beza Mar beekeepers receive a regular income as well as knowing that with The Body Shop is helping to the preserve the beautiful rainforest. If your lucky enough to have a smart phone (I need a Iphone!) you can scan the QR code at the back of any product and you can read about the Community Fair Trade ingredients. I think this is a brilliant idea as it's always interesting to hear the story behind the product.

The range consists of seven products ranging from a yummy shower gel to a Honeymania soap. The latter is shaped like a honeycomb so it looks pretty cool. As always with The Body Shop I love the packaging. the eau de toilette comes in a handy 30ml bottle which would be ideal for travelling. I have another eau de toilette from the brand and they do last for ages as the staying power is quite good. I definitely want to pick up some more new scents soon.

My favourite product out of the range is the body butter of course! Did you even need to ask? It's really luxurious and I love slapping it onto my skin when it needs a bit of TLC. It's a lovely thick cream great for all those dry patches that come creeping up over the Winter months. All in all this range has something for everyone, I'd definitely recommend popping into your local store and giving it a sniff. I think it's the ideal scent for this time of the year to give us a lift from the Winter blues.

I'm already super excited to see what The Body Shop's Christmas collection is like if it's anything like this one I'll be very happy indeed. I can't believe November is finally hear need to start looking for Christmas presents.

What do you think of the new Honeymania range? Any products catch your eye?

Laura<3

My Beauty Essential Picks for the Marathon/Update #3

The Mini Marathon is tomorrow and of course I'm starting to get really nervous which was to be expected. I hope all the hard work and determination in training has paid off. I know once I cross that finish line it will have been all worth it. I wanted to do a post sharing some products that I feel are essentials for the Mini Marathon. Besides beauty products of course water and good footwear are the two biggies. The joys with these products is that they will come in handy over the Summer too!

Suncare/Moisturiser

This is such a big one, even if the sun isn't shining on the day doesn't mean that it's non existence. La Roche Posay and Vichy have a brilliant range of suncare products to choose from. I'm not a million percent sure if I'm going to be wearing makeup on the day but if I was, Vichy's Mattifying Face Fluid* is exactly what I'd reach for. It does exactly what it says on the tin, it doesn't leave a greasy residue and would be perfect under makeup. Did I mention it also has SPF50? Another great sunscreen is La Roche Posay's Anthelios XL Extreme Fluid*, I've used this a couple of times on holidays but I don't know how well it would far under makeup. That's why Vichy's Mattifying Face Fluid is a winner for me and I reach for it all the time. Anthelios XL Invisible Nutritive Oil* is a new addition to La Roche Posay's suncare range and I love this product, it has a really nice light scent. I'll be using this on my arms and legs tomorrow for sure. Unlike most oils this won't leave your skin feeling oily. Again this offers high protection which I think is a must all year round especially in the Summer months. I hope they bring it out in a travel version too for holidays! The most important thing for me on Marathon Day is to keep my skin moisturised, hydrated and protected from the sun.

Lip Balm
Everyone I know that is doing the Marathon tomorrow is bringing along one of these, with the sun pumping down it's inevitable dry lips will occur. I'm big into my lip balm as I get dry lips a lot plus I don't want them to be sore on Tuesday from getting sunburned. The Body Shop's Vitamin D Lip Balm* is not only moisturising but it also contains an SPF15 and has a lovely light Vanilla scent. Another lip balm I love is Nivea's Vanilla & Macadamia lip butter, there's other scents to choose from in the range but this one is my favourite by far. This lip butter is super moisturing and smells amazing like Kinder Eggs. They ring in at under €3 too which is a steal! As you can see from my own looking a mess it's very loved indeed. As it comes in a tube I think The Body Shops offering is practical for the Marathon so I'll definitely have this on me tomorrow.

Facial Sprays
I can't put into words how much I love facial mists. Mini Marathon or not, I use these all year round. Vichy's Thermal Spa Water* is a soothing mist that also leaves my skin refreshed and especially hydrated. This bottle will last for ages, I use mine all the time and still have loads left. This also comes in a nifty little travel size which would be perfect for your handbag. Another facial spray I've been reaching for a lot after training is the Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz*. I haven't tried too much from The Body Shop's skincare line to day, you'll usually find me stocking up on their gorgeous body butters so I didn't know what to expect from this product. My verdict, I've really enjoyed using their Vitamin C Facial Spritz, it comes out as a light mist, rest assured this stuff won't drown your face plus it smells like oranges. I've been using this for a while now and I can't fault it, my skin literally drinks it up. It's jam packed with Amazonian Camu Camu and Community Trade Aloe Vera which leaves my skin looking brighter and refreshed. After trying this product I definitely want to pick up some more bits from the Vitamin C range in the future.

Post Marathon Pampering
Yay for a bit of pampering when you finish the Marathon. Of course Post Marathon I'm going to want nothing more than a relaxing shower. At this stage I'm seriously envious of people that have baths. After the marathon, everyone will want to chill out and unwind after a long day. You can't really go wrong with these two shower products from Soap & Glory and Radox. Both brands offer a huge variety of lovely shower and bath products, you'll certainly find something that will tickle your fancy. I'll be finishing everything off with Roger & Gallet's Fleur d'Osmanthus Beauty Oil*. This product can be used for the hair and body, I mostly use mine on the latter. I love Roger & Gallet products, it's a brand that I discovered when I first started blogging over two years ago. Fleur d'Osmanthus Beauty Oil contains a number of precious plant oils, perfect for relaxing. It sinks into the skin super quick too, leaving it nourished and soft. Safe to say I'll definitely be using this after I finish the Marathon.

Before I head off for some much needed sleep before the Marathon I just want to thank you guys for all your support in the lead up to the big day. I'm definitely going to tweet when I cross the finish line so keep an eye out for that. I'll have a post up on Tuesday/Wednesday giving you the lowdown on how I got on at the Marathon and my experience of the day.

Laura<3

2012 Beauty Favourites

I know I'm a tad bit late with my 2012 Beauty Favourites but I wanted to still put it up so I hope you guys don't mind. Last year has seen alot of amazing beauty releases, some I've absolutely loved and as always some I didn't think were worth the hype. I have quite a few beauty products to show you so sit back and enjoy.

I haven't tried too many foundations over the last year, as I've been sticking to the ones that I feel really work for me. One of the new foundations I tried this year which quickly made it in my favourites is Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation. I've featured this foundation in other favourites posts over the year. I've had it since the middle of the Summer so I'm surprised it has lasted for so long. There's a great shade range for this foundation which pleased me alot. I use the 2.0 which is the second from lightest shade and it suits my skin tone perfectly. I like how this foundation is light on the skin but has quite buildable coverage aswell. I've always been really impressed with Urban Decay's range of products. You'll see another one featured in this post, I bet you can alreay guess what it is. I've seen on their website that they've just released a BB cream. I can't wait to have a look at this when it hits counters over on our shores soon.

Like I said in my November favourites I couldn't possibly pick one favourite out of these brushes. They've definitely replaced any other makeup brush in my collection. I've bought quite a few Real Techniques brushes since they were released in Boots, I hope they add to the range. I find them very affordable in comparison to other brands like MAC, Bobbi Brown etc. They do a even better job in my opinion, I hope they have new additions to the range in 2013 as I know I'll definitely be buying them for sure.

Since I started using Rimmel's Stay Matte powder in early Summer, I've gone through almost four. I don't see a point in forking out on expensive face powders when there's a product like this in Boots. It comes in a number of shades, I stick to transparent as I always end up picking ones that are way too dark for me. The packaging may not be like you'd get when buying from a luxury brand but it works and that's all that should really matter. This is always in my makeup bag just in case my skin goes a little on the shiny side and I need to touch up. I do believe it's around the €7 mark so it definitely won't break the bank. I seen the gorgeous new lip products that Rimmel are bringing out showing up on plenty of blogs so I can't wait to try them when there released. Going from the products that I've already tried from the brand they haven't disappointed.

This gorgeous palette wasn't brought out in Ireland so I was really lucky when Chie sent it over to me for the States during the year. I had seen so many posts about the ever popular Danmari palette so I was really excited that they brought out this shortly after. The All About Cheek palette contains a bronzer (Laguna), a highlighter (Albatross) and four blushes (Angelika, Luster, Orgasm, Gaiety). I've been using this palette a hell of alot this year, the shade selection is brilliant so I really can't fault it at all. It's also very compact so great for travelling, which I'm hoping to do more of in 2013!

I wish the brand Sleek was more readily available over here. I know we can get it online but nothing beats going into a shop and swatching products to your hearts content. To do this I must wait til I head over to Manchester with the boy, who is super patience and doesn't mind me browsing different makeup counters/stands for hours. One of my favourite buys from the brand during 2012 was their Face Contour Kit in Light. I heard so much talk about this product before I bought it so I was really looking forward to picking one up for myself. This is great for bringing out my cheekbones and giving shape to my face. Sometimes I find that the bronzers in these sets can be too dark but that wasn't that case with this at all and I was really happy with it. The highlighter included in the kit is brilliant and I've been using it alot aswell. There's also a decent size mirror in this which would work really well for touch ups and the likes. For the price you can't go wrong with this and I can see myself picking up another the next time I'm away.

I featured this brow kit by Fashionista* in my December Favourites and I have nothing but good things to write home about it. Before 2012 I would of never worried too much about my brows and I always left them as they were. After I started using brow pencils I realised that your eyebrows really do frame your face. I use to get mine waxed quite alot but now I've found myself leaving them to do there on thing as I've found they haven't been growing as much. I finally settled on using brow powders as opposed to pencils as I feel there easier to use and the latter also seemed to break on my anyway. The Fashionista Brow Kit contains 3 different brow shades and a gel. I don't use the tweezer or brush included, I've been using the Blank Canvas Pro Deluxe E30 alongside this kit and it works great. I know that this brand is hard to come by in Ireland but if your in the UK you should be able to come by it no problem.

Another Rimmel product that I've been flying through in 2012 is their Wake Me Up Concealer. Before get started on this product, I'm just going to put it out there that I didn't like the Wake Me Up foundation. I think I may of liked it a little to start but my relationship with this product dwindled quickly. I found it to be way too dark for me and just didn't sit right on my skin at all which was disappointing for a product that at the start I loved. On the other hand the concealer is brilliant. I use the shade Ivory and it works fine for me. I'm on my third tube of this so far and I'm nearly all out so next time there's a 3 for 2 promotion in Boots I'm going to have to pick up some more. Brightening up my eye are plus giving amazing coverage this concealer is the bomb for me. If you didn't get on too well with the foundation like I did I recommend giving this a try either.  It's not too pricey so if you don't like it I'm sure someone else will.

My favourite mascara from this year has to be the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill*. Its a given that this is a expensive product but definitely one that I will be repurchasing in the New Year. This is exactly what I want in a mascara, it doesn't clump and it gives that extra bit of much needed volume to boot. I've had mine for a while now so I'm happy to say that it hasn't dried up like I found the YSL Faux Cils did. The packaging itself is also very luxurious, it's almost metal like and kinda heavy.

I've definitely seen myself using alot more eyeliner throughout 2012 and one I've been using for the most is Soap & Glory's SuperCat Liquid Eyeliner. I wasn't expecting too much from their makeup range, I can now put my hands up and say I was proven wrong. This is one great eyeliner, it literally doesn't budge all day and I've been using mine pretty much ever since I've bought it.

The Naked 2 palette got released in early in 2012 and I've been using it alot this year. All the neutral shades are right down my street. This palette contains 12 shadows that would be perfect for looks from day to night. I use mine for both, my favourite shades in the palette are Bootycall and Verve, I've almost hit pan on them. After I bought this back in January of last year I've been totally neglecting my original Naked palette, it does make an appearance now and again but not too regularly. A new spin off on the Naked palettes, The Naked Basics Palette has just been released over the past month or so and I love it so far. I included it in my December favourites post but seeing as I haven't had it for too long I didn't want to add it in. If you haven't seen yourself yet, it's definitely one to look out for indeed.

Seeing as I'm not eating anything sweet at the moment, Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub has been a lovely treat for my lips over the Winter months. Like alot of people I get horribly dry lips, unattractive I know and this stuff is a lifesaver. I love lip scrubs from Lush and I've tried quite a few of them already but Popcorn by far is my favourite. It smells and tastes amazing! These lip scrubs come in at around the €8 mark and there shelf life is a year so I feel they are definitely worth the money in my books. I know it's pretty easy to make homemade lip scrubs, I've seen plenty of "how to" posts but I don't think I'd have the time or patience to do it. Being honest I'm also not graced with being highly skilled at making things so it would probably be an epic fail!

My favourite lip product discovery of 2012 was the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm in Honey. I went a bit mad when these first launched so I have quite a few shades floating around my room but Honey has to be my most used one. I find that this particular shade is perfect for everyday and gives an extra something to my daily makeup look. These are really moisturing aswell which I love. When I run out of Honey I'll definitely be repurchasing it, I don't think that will be for  a long time yet though as I still have plenty left. Again there is a great range of shades to choose from if you don't think Honey would be your thing!

My first extravagant Jo Malone purchase came back in July when I was heading over to Manchester. I decided to fork out on one of their fragrances as I had been doing so well with Slimming World. After having my Mam driven mad with smelling numerous perfumes I finally went for the gorgeous Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne. It smells amazing and I've been using it alot. When I first bought this I told myself that I'd only use it for special occasions but sure that's never the case at all. Since buying this I was given another fragrance from the brand, English Pear & Freesia which I love aswell. I'd definitely recommend trying them both out.

During 2012 I've fallen in love with more Bath & Body Works products. Pink Chiffon is a range of theirs that stands out for me the most. It smells amazing I've been using this alot since Chie sent it over to me. I fell in love with it after she sent me a over a travel sized Pink Chiffon body lotion for my birthday back in Februay. I've been a big fan of this scent ever since. The Triple Moisture Cream feels really nice on my skin and leaves it feeling lovely and soft. The tube is huge so I feel that this will last me for a while yet.

Before I forget I do have two random non makeup related favourites for 2012. They are not pictured but I do love them both alot. First up is Taylor Swifts's new album, RED. I have this literally on repeat on my Ipod it's such an amazing set of songs. I've been lucky enough to see Taylor Swift twice in concert in the past three years. If she tours with her new album you'll know where to find me! It's so hard to pick a favourite song from this album as all the songs are great so I had to pick two. My favourite songs for the CD itself are Red and 22, there both such catchy tunes and I love them lots. My other favourite for 2012 is Slimming World and what it has helped me achieve last year. You can check out my progress since I started back in April here.  I promise I'm going to got into this topic more on my "Thoughts on 2012" post in the next few days. For now all that I'm going to say is that this program really changed my life. It seemed like the perfect time for me to lose the weight and I couldn't be happier.

I'm sure by the end of 2013 we'll have discovered more beauty products that we've all been loving. I for one can't wait to see what new products grace us with their presence during the year. I already have my eye on a few bits that I've seen make the rounds on some blogs. I definitely feel that 2013 is going to be another big year for new product release for sure.

I'd love to hear what made it into your 2012 beauty favourites!

Laura<3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What series would you like to see next?

Laura<3

Lush Emotional Brilliance

I don't remember the past makeup collection from Lush, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on some bits from the range  latest Emotional Brilliance*. If you have gone into any store recently you would of seen a big colour wheel with a array of different shades. You can get a personalised colour reading with a sales assistant, first you spin the wheel and pick three shades that stand out to you. The first shade symbolises your strength or weakness, the second, your subconscious need and the third, your talent.The colours you choose may be different on certain days depending on the mood your in at that current time.  I really like the concept and I haven't seen anything like it yet. The colour and mood then corresponds with one of the products in the range, there are thirty in total and they are all vegan. Lush also released some supplementary products to complete the new collection which includes a mascara, translucent powder and two skin tints. I was sent a selection of goodies from the range to test out a bit over a month ago, some of the shades wouldn't be the ones I'd choose at first glance but it's not about that range. The range determines the shades by the emotion your feeling at the moment, the ones you should be wearing to fulfil a need. I haven't yet got a  colour reading but I want to pop in to get one soon.

I'm going to start off with my favourite products from the range and there are a few. The cream eyeshadow is one of them, I got sent Sophisticated (to have style) , it's quite a neutral shade that I'd be drawn to on any day. The product itself isn't the most pigmented after blending but I think it would look gorgeous as a base colour along with some other eyeshadows. Before I go on I'll have to mention the Emotional Brilliance packaging, I LOVE IT! It reminds me of Alice in Wonderland with the tiny little labels and it's such a nice touch. A problem people might come across is trying to get the product out when the bottle is coming to a end. I don't see this happening for a long time though as you get a very large amount. At €17.95 these are a little bit on the pricey side, on the same par as MAC so it remains to be seen whether I would repurchase it. I absolutely adore the three new supplementary products in particular the Skin Tints. Both can be mixed with moisturiser or foundation or used aloned to give you a gorgeous glow. Charisma gives you a gorgeous bronzed glow while Feeling Younger works as a light reflector, perfect for under the eyes and a cheekbone highlight. A little bit goes along way with both these products so for €14.95 I can see myself picking up more when I run out. Emotional Brilliance Translucent Powder was always going to be a winner for me. It doesn't make my skin look over powdery and dry looking like some can. I have quite oily skin and I've found it works really well, it's also translucent so I see it suiting all skin tones. I've been using this over my own foundation as I've yet to try the Lush Colour Supplements which I've heard amazing things about. As this is a loose powder I've been putting a tiny bit in the lid and apply it with my Japonesque Travel Luxe Bronzer brush. Being quite a dense brush, it picks up all the product nicely and all I have to do is tap off the access. Now onto the bits that I didn't get on so well with. I know the range is all about the emotion behind the colour but that's the reason why I probably won't use the next two products. The quality especially that of the lipstick (Passionate-feel strongly) is great as it's longwearing which everyone wants. The eyeliner (Fantasy- you're allowed) is beautiful also but wouldn't be something I'd wear everyday because of the shade maybe on the odd night out but that's about it. I have mixed opinions on the Eyes Right mascara, I like how it only contains one perservative while many brands on the market have 4-6. Wheatgrass is also one of the key ingredients which conditions and nourishes the lashes, exactly what my lashes need at present. The only problem for me is the brush, it's so small. It gives you a natural look but I like when my lashes look bold. I've been using this on my bottom lashes and it looks really well so there's something that you can use it for. All in all I was super impressed with the supplementary products and I can see them being really popular it's all to do with preference at the end of the day.

Here's a quick FOTD with all the products mentioned above in action.

Have you tried anything from the Lush Emotional Brilliance range?

Laura<3

Beauty Goodies from the States

Living in Ireland means alot of beauty brands aren't readily available. Don't get me wrong, we do have amazing brands at our fingertips in Boots but when it comes to American brands like Bath & Body Works, Tarte and Fresh, there nowhere to be found.When Chie from MakeupLand2011 (great reviews and tutorials on there) offered to pick me up some bits a little while back of course I said yes. We've done a couple of swaps together in the past year or so and she knows exactly what products I like. First on my list was Bath & Body Works Pink Chiffon, this stuff smells amazing and if you read my August empties you would of seen that I just ran out.  I was so disappointed when I couldn’t get my hand on the Danmari palette ages ago, we couldn’t get it in Ireland and it seemed to sell out like hot cakes in the States. Chie emailed to let me know that Nordstrom were bringing out a exclusive palette similar to the coveted Danmari palette and that she could pick it up for me I was delighted. Last week the postman knocked with a big box from the States I knew exactly what was inside. I had to rush to work meaning I couldn't open it til I got home but it was definitely worth the wait. It was like Christmas opening up this package and I absolutely loved every little thing. Chie sent me over the Nars palette (AMAZING!) and three products from the Pink Chiffon range that I really wanted so I was beyond happy. She also included some surprises, Bath & Body Works Minis, Fresh lip balm set, Revlon products, the list goes on. Needless to say I'll be stocked up on Bath & Body Works for a long time. I don't want to go into much detail on everything yet as I'm definitely going to pop up some review posts in the coming weeks. I just want to say also a big Thank You to Chie for sending me over all these lovely products, I really appreciate it so much.

Is there any brands that you have problems finding in your country?

Laura<3

Summer Must Haves/Essentials #2 - Makeup products

 Sadly I've been delayed doing follow up posts in this series, I've just been unbelieveably busy lately what with Manchester and everything. If my scheduled posts work you should be reading this while I'm enroute to the airport tomorrow. I'm going to try and pop up some posts while I'm there but I don't know if it will be possible yet. I may turn this series into products I've been loving during the Summer it would probably make more sense that way. Lately I've been reaching for alot of the same makeup products as some are old favourites and I know there reliable.

 For primer I've been using Too Faced's Primed & Poreless, I find this to be alot like Benefit's POREfessional maybe even better. I got it in a gift set a while ago and I loved it so much I bought the full sized tube. From what I can recall it wasn't as pricey as Benefit's offering so I'd recommend giving this a go. I ran out of my favourite foundation Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua which I need to repurchase possibly in the airport. In it's place I've been using two foundations, Vichy Dermablend Corrective foundation (Nude) and the Bourjois 123 Perfect  (Vanilla). Both wouldn't have the lightest coverage but I haven't had the best skin this Summer, for me their necessary. I've been using 123 Perfect all over my face, whilst sticking some Dermablend on problem areas, I find it does the trick without looking like I'm wearing too much makeup. For my undereye area I've been using  the Bobbi Brown Corrector which I love. I can't remember what I was using before this. I got it as a birthday gift from the some of the girls in work in February. I've only hit pan on it now but I'll be repurchasing it when I run out. I've been rotating between two powders during the Summer months, MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus and Rimmel's Stay Matte powder in Transparent. I've been using the latter the most as the price point is certainly more affordable. The Mineralize Skinfinish has been making appearance when I'm going somewhere fancy. When my skin has been looking somewhat decent, I've been using Garnier's BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector for Combination/Oily skin*. This has been nice when I want a minimal makeup look with no hassle. I've done a full review on it here. With this product I've been using the same powders that I use with my foundations. I've had a new found love of blush lately I've been using one in particular alot over the last few months. Smashbox's Blush Rush in Pose is a gorgeous matte rose pink shade, great for everyday. I bought this on sale ages ago and it's become a permanent product in my daily makeup routine.

For my eyes I've been going for a quite natural look, alot of brown eyeshadows have been using which is nothing new for me. One palette that I've been grabbing for alot over the Summer is my Too Faced Natural Eye palette. This was a gift from my Mom's trip to New York. I think I got sucked into the hype surrounding the Naked palette so I forgot about it for a while. It contains nine neutral eyeshadows which takes me from day to night so I really only need this in my bag to create a gorgeous eye look. I haven't been using any eyeliner at all lately since I ran out of Loreal's Carbon Gloss liquid liner. Someone has to remind me to pick that up when I'm in Mancheser. I miss it in my life. For mascara I've been using No7's Fanomenal Lashes which is the best mascara I've tried in along time. I know alot of products from this brand can be a bit hit and miss but this is definitely a product I'd recommend buying. It gives you the nicest fluttery lashes without clumping which is a major pet hate of mine. I know alot of people use waterproof mascara over the Summer but unfortunately they just don't seem to work for me.

Now on to my favourite part, LIPS. I've been surprised this Summer as I haven't experimented with as many lip products as I usually do. Five have stood out for me during the last few months so I guess I'll talk about them. I have a tonne of MAC lipsticks but I've only been reaching for one in particular. Syrup is a gorgeous everyday shade which I don't feel is talked about enough. It's a sheer but buildable dark pink shade, not usually what I'd go for but I like it. Next I have two Maybelline products, the Colorsensational Popsticks* and SuperStay Tint Gloss*. I've start off with the latter, if your looking for a lip colour that long wearing this is your man. Once you put this on it does not budge for a good few hours, I don't find it to drying either. If your like me and you don't pull off bold vibrant lips too well, I find applying a bit to the centre of my lips and dabbing it on helps. It gives you a much more wearable shade in my opinion. If a hint of colour is your idea of a perfect lip, I'd try the Colorsensational Popsticks. There's alot of shades to choose from, I've been loving Pink Lollipop in particular. I know these don't have the best colour payoff but I think there great for the Summer and they smell delicious. I've been loving the last two products I'm going to mention for an age now. I always make sure I have them tooked away in my bag. Nuxe's Reve de Miel lipbalm and Korres lip butters are equally moisturising and life savers when your having a dry lip moment which I tend to get alot over the Summer months. If I'm just having a lazing day I'll use Reve de Miel and if I'm going out Korres Jasmine lip butter which is my  favourite one at the minute. I've tried a couple of other shades which you can see a review on here. Without a doubt I'd call Jasmine my "my lips but better" shade.

What makeup products have you been using throughout the Summer? I'd love to hear your favourites?


Laura<3