The Lo Down - MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've owned lots of MAC lipsticks over the years as I'm quite a big fan, I sold nearly all them in a blog sale a while ago when I was doing a bit of a clear out of my makeup collection. My favourite lipstick of theres by far is Velvet Teddy. It' a beautiful neutral shade that actually goes with every makeup look, just what I need.

I have mine quite a while now which you can see in the picture above. My parents bought it for me in the Airport when they were going on holidays a while back. Daragh is going to Manchester soon so I'm going to get him to pick me up another one as I'm literally nearly finished this one.

I'm wearing this lipstick in the picture below and it definitely completes my makeup look for sure, I love it. MAC lipsticks can be expensive, I do believe they are in and around €20 which is pricey but I will be repurchasing this gem as I don't know what I'd do without it.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Benefit Double the Lip Lipstick

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I'm a big fan of Benefit Cosmetics so I couldn't wait to try their new lip products when I saw they launched on Cloud 10 Beauty, of course I had to buy one to try. There are 8 shades to choose from and I went for the shade Juicy Berry which is a gorgeous plum shade, perfect for everyday and I love it.

I'm already planning on picking up some more shades. Basically these lipsticks are a lipstick and a liner in one. They look beautiful on the lips and the colour payoff is amazing. They have similar packaging to the Benefit's They're Real mascara it's so sleek and pretty.

These are priced at €22 which isn't too bad at all for a lip product this good.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Marks and Spencers Rosie for Autograph Beauty Range

Hey Guys and Doll,

I've never tried the Rosie for Autograph range from Marks and Spencers. I've looked at the products in store but I've never splurged on the them.

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win two products from the range on Lisa Eldridge's Instagram competition. The prize was a lipstick and a liner from the Rosie for Autograph Spring 2017 collection. I was beyond excited and I love both the products alot.

Having not tried any products from this range I was very impressed. My favourite, the lip liner in the shade Lace is such a nice neutral pink shade, perfect for underneath any lipstick. The lipstick which is called Sour Grapes is a almost plum shade. This may be better for nights outs but can used patted down for a daytime look.

Now for the price I'd definitely call these products high end. The lipstick is €19 and the lipliner is €17. I love the packaging on these products, I'm a huge fan of rose gold. I'll be definitely checking out more products from the range soon. I already have my eye on the Amazing Radiance Cream as the name suggests it looks amazing.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - Benefit Cosmetics Haul from Cloud 10 Beauty

 Hey Guys and Dolls,

Cloud 10 Beauty is the site I go to for all my beauty products, it has such a good range to choose from. The now stock Morphe products so I know I'll probably be buying more products soon. As you all know I love Benefit Cosmetics. They always bring their A game when it comes to new and exciting launches.

I was recently on Cloud 10 Beauty and I saw a offer they were running, basically when you spend €40 or more you get two deluxe sized samples of Roller Lash mascara and their moisturser, Total Moisture Facial Cream. I've tried the latter and I love it as a night cream and it's a generous size sample, the mascara on the otherhand is a product I've wanted to try for ages so I'm excited to give it a go.

Now on to the main products I purchased. As you all know I was a huge fan of Dew the Hoola so when I saw there was a liquid version of their Dandelion blush, Dandelion, I had to put it in my shopping basket. I've actually used this for the first time today and so far I really like it and I'm super impressed. I haven't seen this in counters in Ireland so I'm guessing it might be exclusive to the Cloud 10 Beauty website. When I first got the product I thought the pump was broken so I contacted Cloud 10's customer care team and they were beyond helpful. I actually got it working in the end so I'm happy out. I also bought one of the new They're Real Double the Lip lipstick. I got the shade Juicy Berry which I thought was something different and I hope it looks good on me. I haven't tried this as of yet but I'm definitely going to try soon. They sound really intriguing as it's a lipstick and a liner in one, if there good I'll definitely be picking up more as the shade range is great plus the packaging is to die for.

Of course once I review these products I'll be posting a review post and I'm sure that will be very soon.

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 - 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

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

I can't believe today is the last day in my 28 Days of Kisses tag, like where did the entire month go. Sorry I'm putting this post up a little later than usual, I spent the whole day with my lovely sister, Lisa and my nephew Ryan. I hadn't seen her in an age so it was nice to catch up and Ryan is the biggest rascal ever so he always cracks me up. We did a bit of shopping and had some lunch back in her place which was so yummy! My sister bought me some bits from Superdrug as a belated birthday gift which  I'm sure I'll feature on here very soon.

Here is my last lipstick look to show you guys, Clarins  Joli Rouge Brillant lipstick in Watermelon. I took this picture before I went to work this morning so excuse if it is a little blurry. No one is a 100% awake at 7AM. This is such a gorgeous wearable pink shade that looks amazing on the lips. The product itself is also moisturising and smells amazing. However for those of you who don't like shimmer/glitter this lipstick may not be for you cause it contains a lot of it. I've been super impressed lately with the products Clarins have been releasing so I'm looking forward to seeing what they come out with for the Summer months.

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

Until the next post,

Laura<3

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

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

(Excuse my weird baby hair fringe, dunno what's going on at the moment)

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

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

Laura<3

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

Another day in the 28 Day, another MAC lipstick to show you guys. I actually just bought this lipstick on Friday in Dundrum. I had no idea that the Archie's Girls collection had been launched. I thought it was the first Thursday of every month so I was surprised to see the decals in the window when I walked by BT2. I couldn't not pick something up from this collection, just look at the packaging. It's so cute and quirky plus I just love comic book prints. Before this range of products came out, not going to lie I never heard of Archie's Girls. After googling a bit about my comic books, I realised fast that they were released way before my time. I find the whole story behind the comics to be really interesting though, love the illustrations.

The lipstick I picked from the collection was Betty Bright, this seemed like the most wearable shade for me. After I seen it over on Milkteef I knew I had to have it. It's a lovely peachy shade which I think will be just perfect for Spring and Summer. I did think it was quite in your face when I first applied it but after a while it grew on me and I love it. I may pick up some more bits from this collection as I do think it's going to sellout really fast.The new Pearlmatte powders look gorgeous, I'm scared to see how much they convert to in Euro. We get seriously robbed over here, I have a sneaky suspicion that they could be €26 or more. I really want to get one though the packaging is so nice and I think it's the nicest collection they've come out with for a while. I don't want to go to wild though cause I want to be good and save this month.

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

Laura<3

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

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

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

Have you tried this lipstick? What do you think of Syrup?

Laura<3

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

Tomorrow is Pay Day and I couldn't be more excited. February is indeed the shortest month of the year but for me it seemed like the longest. I guess this resulted from it being my birthday month, I treated myself to a lot. I'm not going to go to wild this month considering I have two holidays to save for London and New York, I have a feeling a lot of shopping will be done in both locations so I can't wait. One thing I do want to buy this month is the new Revlon Nearly Naked foundation. I've seen a couple of reviews on numerous blogs and it sounds really nice. I just haven't seen it in my local Boots yet so hopefully it's instock tomorrow.

I got this YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in the January Sales after Christmas. I haven't given it too much loving since I bought it. Frivolous Pink is a baby pink shade that is definitely brighter on the lips then I though it would be. This is probably why I haven't used it too much since I bought it. A shame seeing as I love the brand and the packaging of this product is so luxurious, the lipstick itself smells pretty nice too. This lipstick is extremely pigmented with a creamy formula which is a good thing but sadly I just don't think it looks too well on my lips. As it have a very creamy formula I also find it kinda messy to apply too and there's been certain occasions where I've found this on my teeth. I find this lipstick unflattering when I'm having one of those dry lip moments too. I've heard the brand have brought out new Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks, I have a feeling these gems will suit me better. They leave a nice glossy finish on the lips which is right down my street as opposed to the opaque finish of the original Rouge Volupte. I've been trying to use Frivolous Pink more by smudging it when I apply it. This is a bit time consuming but after spending so much money on this lipstick I really want to make it work.

Any suggestions on how to make this lipstick more wearable?

Laura<3

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

My lovely friend Sinead brought me back one of Wet n' Wild's Silk Finish lipsticks from her recent holiday to Florida. I'm not going to lie I'm was pretty jealous that she got to go to this amazing destination. Not only for the amazing makeup stores she got to go to but also the theme parks. I want to go to Harry Potter Land!!! Anywho Wet n' Wild is a gorgeous makeup brand that is only available in the States so it's almost impossible to get it over this side of the pond. This is such a shame as their products (eyeshadow palettes in particular) are amazing and so affordable. Perfect for students like myself.

Breeze is a lovely pale beige shade with a frost finish. I know a lot of people don't really like this finish but it works really well for me. Again this a gorgeous everyday lip colour which would look gorgeous with a smokey eye. This is another really wearable neutral shade which would be a great addition to any collection.I can definitely see a trend building during this tag, I've used mostly neutral shades throughout but they really are my favourites. When applied, these lipsticks do have a light fruity scent which isn't offensive, I actually kinda like it. They don't stick around on the lips too long but for the price you can't go wrong with these babies. I can't believe these lipsticks retail for $1 in the States, seriously what a bargain. I'm definitely going to pick up a couple when I go to New York.

Have you tried any Wet n Wild lipsticks?

Laura<3

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

This is just going to be a quick post before I rush off to college. I can't believe my exams start in less than two months, this year has definitely flow by. I have a couple of assignments left to do so once I get them out of the way I'll have a big weight off my shoulders. After I have my exams and assignments handed in I'm going to start planning my next trip abroad. I'm hoping to go to London for IMATS so we'll see how that pans out. I would love to go as I've never been to this city before and I heard it's beautiful. I'm more than surprised that I haven't been as I just live across the pond in Dublin. Considering I've been to Manchester three time already, I think it's about time I visited London. I have a feeling it could be extremely bad for my bank balance.

I brought into 6 empties to MAC yesterday and picked up Pink Pearl Pop. I wore it to work today and I quite like it. It's one of their new Cremesheen shades that was launched towards the end of last year. I first seen it on Sian's blog not too long ago and it was the first lipstick I swatched when I was at the MAC counter. Of course the rest was history and I left with this lippie to add to my collection. I have a ridiculous amount of MAC lipsticks, I need to start using some up. I'm forever mixing up my shade selection so I never wear the same lipstick for long. I think that's the key reason why I have so many in my collection. As you can see he shade itself is a gorgeous pink and isn't too much on the lips. I'm not the bigger wearer of bright shades so this worked perfectly for me. It's extremely buildable for those who want a stronger pop of colour. I'm glad I picked up this shade, I can see myself using it a lot over the coming months, seeing as the weather is getting that little bit brighter out. I know I've already mentioned that I have too many MAC lipsticks in my collection but there is one more I want, the new limited edition Betty Bright lipstick I spotted over on Milkteef, It's such a lovely shade and just look at the packaging it's so darling. Some of MAC's limited edition collections can be a bit hit and miss but this seriously looks like a winner. Don't be surprised if you see that lipstick floating around a lipstick collection post in the future.

What's your favourite MAC lipstick?

Laura<3

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

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

Later on in the day I headed down to BT2 in Dundrum Town Centre. I had 6 empties to Back to MAC so I wanted to check out a few of their lippies. I finally went with Pink Pearl Pop which I first seen on my Sian's blog. It looked so pretty on her and after swatching it at the MAC counter I was in love! I'm definitely going to feature this in a upcoming 28 Days of Kisses post so keep an eye out for that.

The lipstick I was using on my lips throughout the day was Rituals Lip Shine in Neutral Coral. First off forget about the  shade name this is definitely more of a peachy shade on the lips. As the title of this product would suggest, this lipstick leaves a nice glossy finish on the lips and it's not at all drying. For me this is the perfect shade for Spring and can be used throughout the Summer months too. I not too familiar with the brand Rituals but after trying this lipstick I'll definitely be picking up a few more soon.

Hope you all had a super weekend!

Laura<3

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

Today was spent shopping with my Mom and Pops in town. We went in super early this morning before it got super busy, no one likes searching for parking including me. My Mom and I headed to New Look while my Dad went to his favourite book shop, Hodges & Figgis. I think it's way better than Easons too so I always pick up my books there. As a extra birthday gift my Mom picked me up some new clothes in New Look. I love this store and I do get the majority of my wardrobe there. They have some really nice bits at the moment plus it's not too pricey either. For a poor student like myself this is a key decider when buying stuff in shops. After having a good old shop around, we went for dinner in a gorgeous Italian restaurant on George's Street. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place but they do such amazing food, I love it! I'm always so full after this dinner so I left my new purchases with my parents and I met my boyfriend Paddy to go on a big walk. As I've said in previous posts the weather has been pretty good here the last few days so I didn't want to take it for granted. Who knows next week the rain could be back bucketing down again. After we finished our walk we went to the Savoy to see the new Die Hard movie. I love Bruce Willis, for me he is the King of Action movies. I've seen all the Die Hard movies and I really enjoyed this one too. I'm going to do one of my "A Trip to the Movie" posts soon as I've been to see Flight in the past week too. 

Now to what I was wearing on my lips today. Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquers have been raved about on loads of blogs over the past couple of weeks. I only picked up one shade from the range called Celestial, a really nice rose pink colour which I've been using a lot. It's so wearable and I think it would suit just about anyone. This product is super easy to apply and does last a good while on the lips. That said if you drink a lot like me throughout the day, you may need to touch up. Out of all the shades available Celestial was the only one to really catch my eye when I was in Boots, I just don't think the other shades in the range would do anything for me. How I wish I could rock some fabulous bright lippies! Since then I've seen Luna and Galaxy in a lot of reviews and they both look really nice, hopefully Rimmel will still be on 3 for 2 come payday. Sorry the flash is on in the picture above, I've literally only walked in the door less than a hour ago so it's pitch black out.

Have you jumped onto the Rimmel Apocolips band wagon?

Laura<3

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

Seeing as it's my birthday today I thought I'd go for a luxurious lipstick and Rouge D'Armani Sheer lipstick in Brown ticked all the right boxes with me. This is definitely one of the more pricier products in my collection. I know they retail for around the €30 but it's true what that say you really do pay for the quality. The sleek black packaging is so luxurious with the signature Giorgio Armani design in silver around the bullet, I love taking this out of my makeup bag. When you replace the lid it snaps with a magnetic click which I love hearing the sound of, right assured this won't open in your bag anytime soon.

This lipstick is amazing and one of my current favourites for February. 202 brown is a subtle pinky brown colour, that extremely wearable. On my lips it's more on the pink side of things and will go perfectly with any makeup look, a definite 'my lips but better' shade.It's applies beautifully to the lips and doesn't get stuck in any fine lines. I'm already planning out my next Giorgio Armani lipstick purchase, I'm definitely going to go for another lipstick from their sheer range. Now all I need to do is pick the shade which may be a difficult task. I'm off to start my birthday celebrations,the boy and I are going on a bit of a Dart trip but I don't know where to yet. Don't worry I'll bring my camera with me and show you all what I get up to for the day.

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

Laura<3

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

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I had such a lovely day, the boy met me straight after work and we headed into town. This is our fourth Valentines Day together and we always have a wonderful time. Paddy has his work cut out for him every year as my birthday is the day after so he always plans something great for us to do. I'm 23 tomorrow and I'm so excited. I think we are just going to have a chilled out day and maybe go out on the Dart. I'll definitely take some pictures to show you guys if we do. I picked up Paddy a couple of Valentines Day gifts, I got him a Billabong hoodie, a Brian Cox book and tickets for a gig at the end of March. We are going together so it should be nice, even though I don't know the act all that well. I also made up this mini collage of pictures from last year. I got the frame in Muji and I really like it. It's magnetic so you can swap the pictures around as often as you like.

The weather wasn't the worst today so we had a bit of a ramble around the shops. When we were walking down Grafton Street he picked me up a gorgeous bunch of roses which my Mom took for the sitting room as soon as I walked in the door tonight. We went to see the film Flight in the Savoy, we both love Denzel Washington so we couldn't wait to see the new flick. Wow it's amazing, I thoroughly enjoyed. On leaving the cinema, I forgot that the Jameson Irish Film Festival was on and we seen Tim Roth of all people. I'm a big fan and love his movies! I loved his TV series Lie to Me that was aired on Sky 1, I was so disappointed when it got cancelled. Paddy spotted Tommy from Love/Hate, I haven't ever watched the show really but I've heard good things.

On the lips today I'm wearing 17's Mirror Shine lipstick in the shade Belle. I love this lipstick, it's a gorgeous neutral pink that would go with any makeup look. I have a couple of different shades but Belle and Beehive are my favourites. I'm pretty sure I misplaced the latter, hopefully I can find it or I'll have to pick up another. I don't think they're too pricey either which is a good thing. The staying power isn't too great with these lipsticks but I really like the variety of shades that are in the range.

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

Laura<3

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

Sorry this post is going up a bit late. I had such a busy day and I'm literally just in the door.  Straight after work I went out shopping with my Nanna and my Auntie for the day. They picked me up some of my birthday gifts which I'm very happy with. They are way too good to me! After a nice browse around all the shops we had some lunch in the Vanilla Pod. It's such a nice restaurant, I love it. I got my usual Chicken Caesar salad but wow it was so yummy. They had this special homemade dressing which was different to anything I tasted before. I had such a lovely time and I hope to do it again soon, as I feel like we haven't had a proper day out together in ages.

 

My Auntie was kind enough to take this picture after our lunch. It's another Rouge Edition lipstick from Bourjois which you may remember from my 1st 28 Days of Kisses post. This wouldn't be a shade I'd usually go for, as you can see in the picture it's a bit on the bright side. Rose Millesime is a bright rose shade. When I picked this up I didn't think it was going to be so vibrant, I was expecting it to look similiar to Rose Tweed. I couldn't of been more wrong, they look totally different but that said I actually really like this lipstick. I think it would be great for people like myself who don't go for bright shades, it's definitely a step on the ladder anyway. My Nanna was quite fond of this lipstick so I'm going to pick one up for her come payday next week. They have a great range of shades so who knows I may get one for myself too. I wonder is there any nice peachy shades.

Have you picked up any new Rouge Edition lipsticks?

Laura<3

28 Days of Kisses - Day 10 = Catrice Sheer Lip Colour in Soulful

It's just another miserable and dull day in Dublin. When will this rain ever end? I can't wait til the weather gets better and the sun is shining. I think it makes everyone much happier. Like many other Irish rugby supporters, I'll be watching the Ireland v England game. I always watch these matches with my Dad as we are both really into rugby. I would of loved to be at the game today but the tickets are really like gold dust and almost impossible to get. I just seen on Twitter that Ireland Rugby captain Brian O'Driscoll and Threesome star Amy Huberman welcomed a baby girl this morning. How cute!! Big congratulations to the both of them.

I'm rocking an inexpensive lipstick from Catrice called Soulful on my lips today. I love this brand, their products are amazing and so affordable. Great for students like myself! They bring out gorgeous limited edition collection that I instantly fall in love with. This isn't a bad thing as most of their products are under the €5 which is a steal. The lipstick I have on today is from their SpectaculArt collection which came out recently. I picked up two shades (Soulful and Revel the Red) from the range. Both are very wearable but Soulful is my favourite! On the lips it comes up a beautiful sheer plum colour which would be perfect for everyday. I've been really pleased with this Catrice lipstick, I'll have to pick up some more soon. They don't have the best staying power in the world but for the price I can't really complain. I know this brand is impossible to find in the UK. I'm not too sure why that is to be honest. It has been so popular over here so maybe they might branch out this year who knows. On my eyes in the photo above I'm using the new Essence 3D eyeshadows that I mentioned in one of my previous 28 Kisses posts. I've been loving these eyeshadows, they are so pigmented and such a handy size for my makeup bag too. I'd definitely recommed picking up some of the neutral duos, they're seriously great. I think they were around €3 so they won't break the bank either.

What's your favourite budget brand?

Laura<3

28 Days of Kisses Tag - Day 8 = Topshop Lipstick in Pillow Talk

I'm not doing anything too exciting today, I'm going to try and get most of my college advertising assignment done. I hate leaving things til the last minute it stresses me out so I'm going to try and get it out of the way. I can't believe it's only 7 days until my birthday. I feel like I'm getting so old! I'll have enjoy the last few days of being 22! I feel like I should do something super special.Yesterday I went to the Butter London Spring Collection launch in Avoca. I had such a lovely time and the new polish shades are gorgeous. Loads of happy pastel shades which I'm sure all of you will love. It's so nice to catch up with other bloggers and get to meet some new ones too.As we walked into the event there was a big 007 style suitcase with pretty much the whole Butter London polish collection in it. I want one!! There's a picture of it below as I had to show it to you guys. The venue was so nicely decorated for the launch of the new collection, spring colours everywhere and lots of sweets. I showed super will power I'm telling you. I got three shades to try out, Kerfuffle, Cuppa and Jasper. One of the things I love about this brand is the quirky shade names. 

Here's some snaps I took at the launch...

 After the event Sian and I headed into Boots. Of course I couldn't leave without buying something, I think I seriously have a shopping problem. I picked up the new Maybelline The Rocket mascara. This product has been raved about at the moment so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I'll let you guys know if it lives up to the hype. I love mascaras, I'm always on the lookout for a new one to try. I convinced Sian to buy one of these aswell so it will be interesting to see what she thinks of it too.

As you can see in the picture above, I also picked up some new Essence bits yesterday. I love this brand, their products are so affordable which is great for students like me. I got a concealer duo and three of their new 3D eyeshadows. I love the shade names, they're so  fun! I went for pretty neutral all round colours as I know I'd get more use out of them compared to the other shades available. If you would like to see a review on these products let me know.

Today I'm using another Topshop lipstick on my lips. Pillow Talk is a gorgeous baby pink shade which has a glossy finish on the lips. I will say this though if you have dry lips Pillow Talk does show up all the dry patches. This isn't too good for people like me who get dry lips regularly. I like the packaging on this particular lipstick as it's quite different to the original tubes. I think it was brought out in their 2011 Autumn Winter collection, I know I've had this for quite a long time indeed! Like I said in one of my previous 28 Kisses post, I'd love to pick up some more Topshop lippies soon. I might be brave and pick up a vibrant shade, hmmm Infrared or Bright Rock. There's way too much choice for me how can I possibly decide. After looking through my makeup collection, I realised I bought a Topshop eyeshadow trio last year. It's the Atmosphere palette which is still available online and it's what I'm wearing on my eyes in the picture above. I totally forgot all about and it contains such a nice selection of  well pigmented shades. I haven't tried any of the other eyeshadow palettes from the range so I don't know if there good but I do love this one.

Have you tried anything from Topshop's makeup range?

Laura<3