Very Lovely Stuff

FOTD: Golden Smokey Eye.

2014-06-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

So last Wednesday I went out & the next day morning I shared a photo of my make up on Instagram because I loved it. You know when you have like three hours to watch Youtube videos & get ready and everything just comes together?
Then the lovely Sarah from RaraGiggles asked me to do a post on what products I used, so here it is! I also decided to check how much my face costs, because using a previous picture means I;m not actively trying to use certain products!

Eyes

Essence I Love Stage eye primer - €2.99

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Naked, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse & Creep) - €44

MUA Up All Night palette (No 1 & Hot) - €4.99

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeliner (Black) - €7.79

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner (Black) - €11.99

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme Mascara (Black) - €10.49

Maybelline One By One Mascara (Black) - €11.99

Urban Decay Browbox (Brown Sugar) - €25

Face

Benefit Porefessional - €34

Nars Sheer Glow (Mont Blanc) - €40

P2 Dress Code Happy Concealer - €3.95

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Light) - €6.35

Benefit Booing Concealer (01) - €24

NYC Blushable Creme Stick (Big Apple Blush) - €3.49

Bourjois Bronzing Primer - €13.99

ELF Shimmering Facial Whip (Pink Lemonade) - €2.40

Lips

Korres Lip Butter (Pomengranate) - €9.95

Rimmel Exaggerate Lipliner (Eastend Snob) - €5.49

MAC Satin Lipstick (Snob) - €19

Total

€281.86

Waaaaah that is a bit of a crazy total... But I suppose it's my hobby, plus I used a lot of products! It'd be pretty easy to leave out a lot of these products & get a similar result. I couldn't go without the Naked palette though, the golds & browns are beautiful!

This is not in any way a tutorial because I cannot do that for the life of me! But for reference, I blend Buck & Naked just in/over my crease, Half Baked goes in the centre of my lid, with Smog on the outside & Darkhorse applied on the outer V of my eye, with Creep blended over that. Then under my eyes, I started with Darkhorse on the outside, Smog in the middle, and Half Baked in the inner corner. I used the colours from MUA Up All Night as highlights, but Virgin from the Naked palette is one of my favourite eye highlights ever. (I'll stop gushing over Urban Decay now).

So that was my face last week!

Chloe x

Clinique Super City Block SPF 40

2014-06-07T08:30:00.000+01:00

So it's June, the sun is out, and I am now 21 & paranoid about my skin. I'm pretty sure I have a forehead wrinkle already. But one thing I've always been good with is remembering suncream (Did I ever mention I'm ginger? My skin burns if the lights are too bright.) At least I've progressed a bit from slathering myself, including my face, in thick white lotion.

Last summer, in one of Clinique's Bonus Time offers, I decided Super City Block would be my skincare. City Block comes in a SPF 25 or SPF 40 variant & I picked up the SPF 40 because I'd use 100 if I could find it. And I've been using it ever since.

City Block comes in a light green tube with a silver cap. The product itself is lightly tinted but it blends out on the skin, and it evens out the skintone a little bit too. It isn't shiny at all so it's fine to wear alone, but I usually wear it under make up & it doesn't interfere with it at all.

And for the technical bits: City Block protects against both UVA & UVB rays and it protects against environmental aggressors too (like city pollution, hence City Block). It's oil free & allergy tested. I have fairly sensitive skin, and it doesn't irritate it at all, but because I have dry skin, I have to apply moisturiser with the sunscreen.

During the summer, I'm out rowing a lot, & on Sundays I might be out from 8AM til 4PM, on the sea. If the sun is out, and it reflects off the water, I need a lot of protection so I use City Block, throw on a BB cream/ concealer and then I can keep applying it over makeup throughout the day. My one problem is that City Block doesn't protect against wind burn.... It looks like sunburn but you don't even get the sun first. Boo.

City Block costs €22 for 40ml which I'm happy to pay - I only use a small amount plus there's no point in splashing out on make up when your skin is damaged.

Which facial sun protection do you use?

Chloe x

So...? Sexy Eau De Toilette & Body Fragrance

2014-06-05T07:30:00.000+01:00

I haven't reviewed any fragrances before, because I really find it hard to describe scents! But I love trying out different perfumes and when So...? contacted me & asked if I'd like to choose a Eau De Toilette to review, I was delighted!

So...? was probably the first brand most girls tried out (I got many Impulse & So...? gift sets for Christmas) and I always felt so grown up getting perfume. I'd discarded it since then, but when I looked through the website, I realised that the brand have changed a bit & there's a lot more fragrances, some of which sounded beautifully sophisticated. So I decided to try out So...? Sexy.

So just to break it down, here are all the notes of the EDT -

Top Notes: Mandarin & Blackcurrant
Heart Notes: Rose & Jasmine
Base Notes: Sandalwood & Musk

It was definitely the mandarin & blackcurrant that caught my eye, it just sounded so fresh! But I knew the sandalwood & musk would tone it down a bit. And I was right! All the scents combined form a deep perfume and it smells quite floral but not in an old-granny way - It's definitely more of a modern, subtle scent. And I admit, it is pretty much a sexy perfume! It's a bit more of a night-time fragrance because of the musk & sandalwood and I've worn it out on a few dates with my boyfriend.

The packaging isn't up there with more expensive perfumes, but I do like the outer box and the accompanying body fragrance - I think the actual bottle itself should either be clear, or completely covered with the fishnet pattern. It's a sturdy bottle though, so I'm not afraid to thrown it into my bag if I'm traveling or plan on being out for a while.

The biggest downfall of the EDT is the lasting power - It definitely doesn't hang around as long as other perfumes, but I suppose in general, eau de toilettes don't! They're supposed to be lighter, and I don't mind that, because as I said I can bring the bottle with me to top up. It's just something to keep in mind. One way of increasing the lasting power is by layering the scent, hence the body spray. The spray is a lot lighter, but if you spray a light bit on yourself then apply the EDT, it does work & last longer.

So...? Sexy is definitely a lot more grown up than some of the perfumes I had, but there's lots of choices if you're planning on picking them up as a present - I think my favourite used to be So...? Kiss Me, & I still rob some of my sisters occasionally. The 30ML fragrance is €8.49 in Boots, but the 50ML is currently on sale for only €6.49 so it's a good time to try it out! Plus it's a brand that constantly has miniature gift sets, etc.

Did you use So...? when you were growing up? Would you still use it?

Chloe x

MAC Satin Lipstick - Snob

2014-06-03T07:30:00.000+01:00

So on one of my many, many trips through the airport recently, I decided I needed a nude lipstick for work. As much as I love neon pinks/ dark purples, they get overlooked when I'm working! I did think about Creme Cup, but I figured Snob was a bit more up my street.

The packaging is standard MAC - A black tube with silver writing. I'm not sure why I bother throwing in a photo of the packaging anymore, plus it's impossible to photograph! But anyway, I like it, I have a lipstick stand with little black tubes & it looks quite nice & organised!

MAC call Snob "a ladylike mauve". The bullet does look like a pinky mauve, but on the lips it's a lot pinker. It's quite warm toned & I do worry it might make teeth look a bit yellow. It still falls into the nude category for me though!

It's a satin finish, & I think it lasts about 5 hours. It's pretty opaque applied straight from the bullet, but it does settle into the lines on your lips a bit. I think satin might be my favourite finish - I don't find it drying, but it has good colour payoff and sticks around.

MAC lipsticks are not cheap at all, at about €19, but I've picked a few up in duty free & I'd rather buy one of their lipsticks that I loved the colour of, than two high street lipsticks. I can see myself wearing Snob quite a lot throughout the summer so I think it's worth it!

I'm so tannedddddd.... Despite the 28 degree sunshine, this is Cocoa Brown. #lifesaver

Chloe x

Sleek Celestial Palette

2014-05-30T20:48:00.000+01:00

As much as I love a good nude palette (or ten, because I have a ridiculous amount), I've found myself buying more colourful palettes & eyeshadows recently. I actually got the Sleek Celestial palette for Christmas, but have only really started playing around with it in the last month or so, so it's time for a review!

Like all Sleek i-Divine palettes, this contains 12 1.1g eyeshadows. Plus, they all have names! (For anyone who doesn't compulsively buy palettes this isn't a problem... But there's only so many time you can mention 'That blue shade... Beside the purple.. On the bottom row?') It's the standard matte black case, which comes prepackaged in a cardboard case, and it has a big mirror in the lid. It also has a double ended sponge applicator which is probably now in my sister's art box.

How pretty are all these colours? Or at least most of them.

Solar has become one of my favourite shadows: It's a purple/pink with quite a bit of shimmer.

Astral Blue is a deep blue with tiny silver glimmer.

Aurora is a dark sea green & it's shimmer doesn't transfer to the skin much.

Galactic is one of the brightest silvers I've ever had - Stunning!

Earth Shine is a lovely blue navy without much shimmer.

Dark Matter is a shimmery black, but it comes out more of a dark grey.

Stargaze is a light matte lilac, which works nicely as a base shadow.

Saturn's Ring is gorgeous! It's a duo chrome purple with blue shimmer.

Meteoric is my favourite to use with Solar - It's a matte, rosy red, which I use in the crease.

Terrestrial is the big disappointment. It's a pale matte green that isn't very pigmented.

Lunar is like Saturn's Ring's little silvery sister. It's icy blue metallic.

And Eclipse is like a shimmery khaki - Sounds strange, but it's brilliant for a smokey eye.

The Sleek Celestial Palette costs €9.99 & can be found on Cloud10Beauty, or in selected Superdrugs. It's not something you need, & I'll always keep my nude palettes on hand but I'm delighted it's in my collection!

PS - How do other beauty bloggers take a photo of their eyes? It's IMPOSSIBLE.

What coloured eyeshadows do you love?

Chloe x

May Wishlist

2014-05-08T08:00:00.000+01:00

So it's been a while for a wishlist post too! But seeing as it's my birthday coming up, I've been thinking of all the lovely new things I would like.. :) I realised most of the things were quite similar but with different price tags so I turned it into a high end v high street wishlist!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta (£28) v Sleek Sweet Cheeks Blush (€12.99)

Real Techniques Core Collection (€24.99) v MUA Contour Brush (£3)

Urban Decay Electric Palette (€45) v Makeup Revolution Acid Brights (£4)

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Light (€26.50) v ELF HD Powder (£6.95)

Origins Clear Improvement (€29) v Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed (€15)

So they're the latest products on my wishlist... Which of course, as ever, includes any MAC lipstick, YSL mascara, shopping vouchers or a holiday. Just in case anyone's feeling generous...

Have you tried any of the above?

Chloe x

Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip

2014-05-06T08:00:00.000+01:00

So, Chocolate Whip isn't exactly a new Cocoa Brown product but I've been so behind on blogging that I'm just getting around to review it now! And I still have their latest three products to write about, so keep an eye out!

Okay, so the basics - Chocolate Whip is a body moisturiser, made especially for tanning (though it can obviously used as normal too). You know when you read the back of your tan, and it says "Apply an oil-free moisturiser..." & you just kinda ignore it & rub whatever's handy into your dry patches? Well that was me, because I just didn't know of any oil free moisturisers! Moisturisers that contain oil will make your tan fade unevenly, so points to Cocoa Brown for bringing an oil free moisturiser to the masses!

Chocolate Whip comes in a similar tube to Tough Stuff, but it's white with pink accents (as you can clearly see). The product is brown, which is different to the white/ clear moisturisers I'm used to, so I think I expected a chocolatey smell, but it's scented with Cocoa Brown's signature Tahitian Gardenia Scent. The scent doesn't hang around too long, which doesn't bother me either way.

I think the best part of Chocolate Whip is the fact that it sinks in so quickly - I never moisturise in the morning, I do it after my night time shower so I don't have to get dressed, but if I was tanning last minute and needed to get rid of dry skin early in the day, I'm confident that I could get away with getting dressed straight away! Speaking of dry skin, all the above is no good if it doesn't actually moisturise the skin.. But no fear. Because it sinks in quickly, it doesn't spread as much as other moisturisers but a tube still lasts a reasonable amount of time.

When I'm home, I use Chocolate Whip three times a week or so, and then dab some on my knees, ankles, feet, wrists & elbows just before I tan. Right now, seeing as I only have the tubes I brought over with me, I've been sticking to using a normal moisturiser during the week, and keeping Chocolate Whip for before tanning & while wearing fake tan! No lie, one of the highlights of getting home will be a constant supply of Cocoa Brown products...

A 200ml tube of Chocolate Whip costs €5.99, and is available in Penneys, lots of pharmacies & on Feel Unique. So it won't break the bank and if you're in Ireland/ the UK, it's easy to pick up!

Have you tried Chocolate Whip? What do you think?

Chloe x

5 Things #13

2014-05-02T07:30:00.000+01:00

I really need to get back into posting regularly - Fingers crossed this time, it happens!

5 Songs

Paolo Nutini - Better Man

Disclosure - When A Fire Starts To Burn

Ellie Goulding - Beating Heart

Icona Pop - Ready For The Weekend

Faul Wad Ad vs Pnau - Changes

5 To Look At

Starting off on a not so positive note, I was heart broken reading this column about a young man's suicide, less then 24 hours after leaving hospital.
I love the #irishbbloggers chats, and Kat from Dolly Rouge did a live stream during it! I was blown away with everything she knows & it's so helpful.
There's a brand new budget make up brand out, & I really want to try a lot of things from Makeup Revolution... Especially the bright eye palettes for £4!
But for every budget product, there's a high end one... Like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes! I love Radiant Magenta on Orla from Make Up Over Mind
I really enjoyed Wolf of Wall Street (all three hours) but the Honest Trailer is even better!

5 That Made Me Smile

After a bazillion years (honest), I got my laptop back! Whoo! They forgot to send my charger, but I'll take what I can get.

I had unreal cravings from a good Creme Egg this week, and woke up last Saturday to a package of chocolate from home.. I don't want to eat it because then it'll be gone though...

Last weekend, my three sisters were dancing in the Irish Dancing Irish Solos & I am now the proud older sister of two champions! They all placed & came home with medals, yay!

My laptop back meant I had to get cracking on my 25 page German essay. An all nighter on Monday meant I could go hand it in Tuesday & then go back to bed. The relief.

It's my birthday next week! Yay! I'm sad I won't be home, but it's my 21st, so excitement is settling in.

How're you?

Chloe x

Revlon Colorburst Balms - Showy, Elusive & Whimsical

2014-03-28T07:00:00.000+00:00

Hello!

I've seen loads of reviews on Revlon's latest lip offerings recently, and finally picked up the three that I thought I'd like, and wanted to show them off. (Because, you know, no-one I actually know in real life cares.) This meant two matte balms & one lacquer are now mine, for about €10 each I believe. I bought them in Shaws, who always have discounts on make up, but they're not TOO much more in Superdrug/ Boots.

Top to bottom - Showy, Elusive & Whimsical

The packaging is the same as the original Just Bitten balms (which I loved and keep meaning to dig out), except the matte balms have matte packaging & the lacquers are very glossy - I like the matte, though it cearly gets rubby quickly. Maybe that's just me & my bottomless bag though...

Showy, Elusive & Whimsical.

Showy is a matte blue toned pink. It's a bright one, but makes teeth a bit whiter & it;s one of those colours that really just wakes your face up! I'm a neon lip girl & I find it completely wearable.

Elusive is a medium nude pink - I'm not really sure why I bought it, because I wouldn't usually bother with anything as normal. but it's become standard in my daily make up bag for work!

On the other end of the scale, I thought Whimsical would be ideal for me, but even though I love the deep colour & the shimmer, I suppose I wish it wasn't so glossy. (I know, that's the point of being a lacquer. Just saying, I'd like a more opaque one.) But it is very pretty on the lips.

Bare lips, Showy, Elusive & Whimsical.

Like the original balms, both the lacquer & matte versions have a slightly minty scent. In terms of lasting power, the matte are obviously better, & I find they are still okay about 4 hours later (depending on what you've been doing), whereas the lacquer started to disappear after about an hour, particularly from the centre. I think I'm biased though, because the other colours I'm convinced I need are matte as well. (Shameless & Mischievous, just in case...)

So basically, I like these balms & if there's a colour calling your name, you may as well pick it up. (Especially if it's matte. I'll shut up now.)

Please let me know if you've tried any of the other shades - I need to reassure myself that it's okay to buy more!

Chloe x

Precious Polish - Very Lovely Stuff's Custom Polish

2014-03-12T07:30:00.000+00:00

Hello!

So, posting last month took a bit of a nose dive. But I'm making it up by talking about a gorgeous nail polish, which I think counts for something. Last year, Anita of The Beauty Spot entered the indie nail polish world, with the creation of Precious Polish. It was a brand I kept meaning to try, especially because I saw so many positive reviews, but I forgot, and then I was in Germany. So when I came home, getting a nail polish was on my list!

After seeing Anita's Bloggers Collection, I decided I wanted a polish that was unique to me. I asked for a base of Blowing Raspberries (a pink), with orange glitter. Pink & orange are two of my favourite nail colours, & orange glitters aren't common, so I thought it was worth a try! A base colour with one glitter costs €8, which is more than reasonable.

The bottles are nice & sturdy.. I sent mine flying

across a room (accident) & it was safe!

I'm not sure of exact delivery time, because I wasn't at home, but they did arrive within a week, and delivery is included in the cost. They arrived well packaged (I ordered another two polishes for friends) and I couldn't wait to try out my polish! The first coat was very sheer & I did worry slightly that I'd end up needing loads of coats & it'd just be thick & gloopy because of the glitter, but another coat gave me perfect colour. (It did still photograph a bit sheer though, so a third coat for some colours might be necessary).

Just to note - I was left with a rough nail, but a top coat should sort it,

I know a lot of people prefer smooth nails!

I know the combination won't be too everyone's taste, but I really like it! The glitter is a golden-orange more than a brought orange, which worked well with the rich pink. Together, I think they're actually a bit Barbie-ish? (Which is not a problem for me!) It lasted really well, with only tip wear for five days, then I started picking at it in work, My photos were actually taken on the third day because the sun came out, so you can see it still looked pretty fresh!

As I said above, I ordered another two polishes, because two of my friends had 21sts coming up, but I forgot to give them their custom polishes... Smart. Hopefully I'll remember soon & I can get a photo of their polishes to show you! Getting a polish made for someone is a really nice idea - Mother's Day present maybe?

What do you think of the colours?

Chloe

Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivid Lipstick in Vibrant Mandarin

2014-02-03T08:30:00.000+00:00

Today, you can check me out over on CherrySue Doin' The Do, talking about Maybelline's Big Eyes Mascara. I can't say I loved it, so to counteract that, I decided I should post about a new Maybelline lipstick that I picked up. (That's a lie - I picked up two shades..I can just never say no!)

The Boots website says "Color Sensational Lipcolor hydrates lips whilst delivering bright, rich, pigment- saturated coverage." The packaging is attractive, it's a plastic lid that corresponds with the lipstick colour, and it's squared off, while the base is silver. And shiny. While I like sleek black tubes, etc, they get a bit boring & these are much more attractive in my lovely new make up holders.

So Vibrant Mandarin sounds orange, but to me it's more of an orange toned red. Seeing as orange lipstick scares me, it's a good way to start dipping my toes in the water! It is a beautiful shade, & lives up to its name, coz this is vibrant with a capital V.

On the lips (as opposed to anywhere else you'd put your lipstick), it's smooth & incredibly pigmented. One coat gives full opacity, but because it's so smooth & slightly glossy, it's a terror for bleeding & smudging. I rubbed a spot near my mouth & had beautifully stained fingers to match the smudge down my chin. Similarly, as with any glossy lipstick, it will start to fade quicker than a matte - Though I found it didn't seem to transfer to my glass, so a bonus point for that.

I really like this release from Maybelline - I go weak at the knees for bright lips, but it's nice to get one that a) isn't matte & b) doesn't highlight every dry patch. I haven't found the purple shades but when I do, they will be mine! Until then, I'll wear Vibrant Mandarin & see if I can work up the courage to try Electric Orange. Colour Sensational Vivid Lipsticks cost €9.99, which I'm happy to pay & are available widely!

Have you picked up any of this range? What do you think of orange lips?

Chloe xx

January

2014-02-01T18:33:00.000+00:00

All day, I've been seeing 'January' favourites posts, then I saw Karen's sum up on January, and decided I quite liked that idea! So to borrow an idea from one of my favourite bloggers, here's how my January went.

I managed to post 14 times, which is (almost) every second day, which I'm happy with! I really need to start organising my time a little bit better & typing up blog posts/ editing photos instead of sitting around watching crap TV.

Speaking of which, I've watched many, many films & a lot of TV this month. The Help, Wolf of Wall Street, Definitely Maybe, the first seven Harry Potters, Scooby Doo, Tommy Tiernan: Something Mental, not to mention Dancing on ICE, The Voice of Ireland, Splash, AND Operation Transformation. What can I say, it's exam time.

I got back to Germany on the 5th of January, in a flurry of tears & sad goodbyes, but I also booked my tickets home for my semester break & managed to settle in a bit better.

I became obsessed with getting rid of blackheads - Thermal masks, steaming, extractions, the works. Today I bought a blackhead remover & plan on trying out Una Brennan's Clay Mask when I get home, after Twitter recommendations.

I bleached my hair again! No joke, I had dark hair for all of a month and it annoyed me so much. I am now white blonde again, with plans to have pink, purple, & blue ombre (once my orals are done.)

I started the month commenting on as many blogs as possible, but that's fallen by the wayside a bit now that I'm studying flat out. But I'm determined that by this time next week I'll be back in the swing of things, especially after this post on Make Up Monster about supporting Irish bloggers, & now that there's a dedicated Twitter account!

I went for an amazing Mexican meal with my boyfriend, but my starter of nachos filled me up so much that I could barely even start of my quesadilla. The pitcher of margaritas helped though.

I started one of those Instagram photo a day challenges, but failed miserably half way through. Too much commitment for me.

I cried over the fact that a lot of music acts I LOVE (Ellie Goulding, Jake Bugg, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Arctic Monkeys, Kodaline, Kings of Leon) are playing Marlay Park this July & I most likely won't be home for any of them. It hurts.

How was your January? Other than being the longest month EVER!

Chloe x

5 Things #12

2014-01-31T08:00:00.000+00:00

5 Songs

Haim - Falling

Foals - My Number

John Newman - Losing Sleep

Sub Focus - Turn Back Time

Walking On Cars - Tick Tock

5 To Look At

I won't lie, I may have sent a few Snapchats of me as Snow White to various people. No-one seemed impressed.

Exam time equals 3 times more films than usual & my favourite recently was Wolf of Wall Street. Leo is MAGNIFICENT.

I know, I know, I'm immature. But seeing Taylor Swift being kicked at the Grammy's made my day.

Maybe everyone hates the thought of VDay so early, but hey ho, these puns made me chortle. (I will be spending Valentine's alone, probably in work. I'm sending a card to myself.

Photoshop is one of the most talked about things these days - I won't lie, I occasionaly edit my photos when my nail polish is all around my nails, or to add my text etc. But this music video shows the transformation happening. (I don't understand it either)

5 That Made Me Smile

I found these gorgeous Converse reduced on Asos, mulled it over, decided I wanted them.. And they were gone! Off I went in a mood, but on return my friend told me they were back in a six. Hopefully my 6 & 1/2 feet will squeeze!

I'm currently doing my exams for Semester 1 of Erasmus, & I've two down, two to go. I'm dreading the final two but one has already gone really well!

I couldn't help but laugh at this tweet from a police station... Imagine coming out of Miss Selfridge & finding everyone else was gone home!

I'm not actually going, but like half the country I was up to get Garth Brooks' tickets, for my parents. They have been bought, but I've told my mum I couldn't get them - It's her birthday present.

Speaking of my mum, I will be seeing her in one week & one day... Plane tickets are booked! (I'll see the rest of my family too, obviously.)

How was your week?
Chloe x

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomengranate

2014-01-29T15:25:00.000+00:00

First up, if you think there'll be photos of this actually on my eyes, go away. I spent FORTY FIVE MINUTES trying to get a photo of this at work.. They all left me looking like I had the eyelids of a 90 year old or a severe eye infection. But I promise, Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate is actually nice.. In real life anyway.

The story behind this is that I bought a variety of Colour Tattoos before I went to a festival last year, figuring they'd be handy to just smear on my eyelids (They were.) Back to reality, & I realised as hard as I tried, bright blue & purple eyelids weren't going to take me far. So I picked up a few more wearable colours, like Metallic Pomegranate. (It's a serious effort writing that just so you know.)

The colour tattoos are housed in a clear glass jar, with a black & coloured lid that corresponds with the colour inside. Handy until you realise you put the wrong lids on the wrong pots & your lovely white highlight is actually now cranberry & you look like you have a bruised eye.. But anyway.

Metallic Pomegranate is a cranberry coloured creamy shadow, with little flecks of gold shimmer. It's soft & easy to work with, plus it can be patted onto your lid or built up for intense colour. They also work as excellent bases for powder eyeshadows - I've been putting this under a shimmery cranberry colour from the Sleek Celestial palette & it keeps it perfect throughout the day. They can also of course be worn alone, but be careful, especially if you have oily eyelids - Primer is needed, or they will crease a tad & start to fade. It's not very pretty.

It is red-toned, but not overly so - It's more of a purple-red-brown. I know, I'm killing it with descriptions today. My point is, it's actually really wearable! Especially when you want a bit of a smoky eye that's not just blacks & silver.

Even if Metallic Pomegranate isn't your colour, I recommend checking the range out if you haven't already - I have about seven at this stage & use them regularly! They cost €10.49 in Boots, but are often on 3-for-2 offers etc.

Chloe x

Essence Longlasting Lipstick in 09 Wear Berries!

2014-01-28T07:30:00.000+00:00

A few months ago, I picked up another of Essence's Long Lasting Lipsticks & was impressed, big time. I mentioned that I wanted to try out a few other shades, & for €2.49, it would be rude not to buy another. Or another three. But today, I'm going to show you the one that's taking up space in my bag for the last while.

Wear Berries is a pinky-purple shade. At first glance, I thought maybe it was similar to MAC's Up The Amp, but it's definitely a lot pinker. In the bullet, it's a deep berry shade, but swatched, it's quite a bit lighter. And, just to say it again, pinker.

I actually cannot deny how well these lipsticks apply - They're so creamy, & do not dry my lips out in the slightest. There's a slight sheen to them, but they're not glossy at all - Just very creamy and smooth! I'm not sure about the long lasting claims though - Three hours later or so, & my lips sport a barely there berry stain, but wear time isn't that impressive. However it does fade very evenly, & I find that it's a colour I have no problem applying on the go because it's not too bright or dark.

I did originally think that Wear Berries was going to be a real winter shade (it's snowing here, winter shades are still appropriate) but it's definitely an all-round kind of lipstick - It translates to a deep but natural colour on the lips. I wore it to my oral exam yesterday & that went well, so I'm putting it down to the lipstick. And using it as an excuse to go buy every other colour.

Do you like purple toned lipsticks?

Chloe x

Lancome Vernis in Love Nail Polish: 179M Madame Tulipe

2014-01-24T09:00:00.000+00:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week (All last weekends were scheduled!), I had an exam yesterday morning that required some serious last minute cramming.. Right up to 5AM yesterday morning. Stress like that requires a treat, right? So enter my first high-end polish - Lancome's Vernis in Love.

The bottle is sturdy, with a nice glass bottle & glossy black lid, and the Lancome rose printed on the bottle. I spent ages looking through the colours - When a nail polish is €18, you want to love it! I'm lacking in red polishes, so this deep red stood out to me.

No joke, one coat is all it took for some serious colour & shine. I was impressed! I ended up adding a second coat though, just for longevity. The colour didn't change at all, so if you're in a rush, you can definitely do a quick coat & run. Sounds all good, right? It was.. Until the next day. Forget the extra coat for longevity, you'd need Superglue to keep this on your nails. In fairness, I can't be bothered with a topcoat because I'm always changing my nail polish, but I still don't expect massive chips the next day.

I won't lie, the chipping after paying that price puts me off buying another shade. I do still love the colour, & ended up taking it off to re-apply it, but it's not something I'm going to turn to when I'm rowing or in work.. My nails would be bare after 10 minutes. However I've just picked up a top coat (first time for everything) so hopefully that'll help, seeing as I've bought it.

In general though, I'd sadly avoid Lancome's nail polish. I'd rather just pay €2 or less for an Essence polish! Does this mean I can buy something else as an exam treat...?

Have you tried any Lancome polishes? Or have there been any other brands that have really disappointed you?

Chloe x

Handbag Wishlist

2014-01-19T08:00:00.000+00:00

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli €840 2. Boohoo Anya Structured Shopper €30

3. Burberry Trapeze Tote €895 4. Hero Mini Luggage Tote €37

5. LK Bennett Black tote £240 6. Saint Laurent Sac de Jour tote €1790

7. Oasis Sindy Shopper €53.37 8. River Island Cream Tote £45

9. Mulberry The Willow tote €1750 10. Michael Kors Selma tote €395

11. Zara Shopper €39.99 12. River Island Orange Bowler £37.00

Who doesn't love bags? Seeing as I tend to pick a bag & use it to death daily, I want one that I really like. My last two bags have been nice, but nothing exciting. So I went browsing! Obviously I'd never be able to afford half the bags on this list - But despite that, I think the orange River Island one is my favourite. It might be mine..

Have you seen any gorgeous bags lately? I can never have too much choice!

Chloe x

5 Things #11

2014-01-17T11:00:00.000+00:00

5 Songs

Ellie Goulding - You, My Everything

Foo Fighters - The Pretender

Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious

The Blizzards - Postcards

Disclosure - Latch

5 To Look At

I'm a weirdo & love looking at home stuff, so I loved this article on Buzzfeed about how to prettify all the everyday eyesores at home!

I spent a good half an hour or so watching all of Jimmy Kimmel's Mean Tweets videos.. They're so bad but hilarious.

If you've seen Kate Upton's V Magazine cover, how did you feel about it? I loved Zee-Railed's post on why it's wrong for just anyone to be able to strip her online.

Mental health is still a big issue in Ireland, so Darragh's very honest article is well worth a read - About his failed suicide attempt & how he feels now.

I absolutely LOVE figure skating, it's the highlight of Winter Olympics for me. So this video of 'Riverdance on Ice' made me wish I could figure skate & still Irish dance. Boo.

5 That Made Me Smile

This weekend, I'm going to visit my boyfriend for the first time - I'm really looking forward to seeing where he lives!

I've taken the photos for my Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff review twice, & lost them twice. I finally found them & could write my review!

The news that Beaut.ie would be making a return pretty much just made my week.

After butting in on one of Sharon's conversations on Twitter, she offered to send me over some ebooks that she had, for my Kobo. The kindness of bloggers!

During the week, I found a video of myself competing in my parish's Dancers & Chancers - I had to learn how to Irish dance to a modern song. It was actually really fun & made me kinda want to do more!

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff

2014-01-15T08:00:00.000+00:00

This review has actually been such a long time coming. The girls at Cocoa Brown first sent me Tough Stuff way back in July.. Since then, I've gone through about a hundred little sachets of the stuff & still love it!

Tough Stuff is an exfoliator, "a no-nonsense 3-in-1 scrub". It's coloured pink, & contains exfoliating beads, in a runny pink gel. It has Cocoa Brown signature fragrance - Tahitian Gardenia, & it's available in both a 50ml sachet, or 200ml tube. Tough Stuff is made to prep your skin for tanning, to remove all your old dirty tan (it happens us all), or simply to exfoliate your skin. And it works for all three - Especially with regular use, your tan should go on flawlessly!

50ml sachet, with a background of my onesie.

I find that it's definitely quite a 'scrubby' scrub - It does an intense exfoliation! Because it's a runny gel consistency, there's no problem using Tough Stuff on its own, on dry skin, but it can also be used in the shower, on wet/ soapy skin. They recommend it for use on tougher areas of skin, like your knees, elbows, etc, and to avoid any delicate areas because it is pretty scratchy.

I've developed a routine with Tough Stuff - Once a week, I apply it onto dry skin & scrub away with it for a few minutes, just using my hands, (I'm as pink as the packaging after that) then wash it off in the shower. For this, I use a fair bit of the product - Probably 20ml. Then, every second day, I just throw a bit onto an exfoliating glove or shower puff, & use it in the shower, on wet skin. I find this keeps all the dead skin away! If I'm tanning, I do the deep exfoliation the day before, when I'm shaving my legs, etc. Then after a few days, I'll use it in the shower, to make sure it fades evenly. If its getting patchy, I give myself a good scrub, focusing on whatever areas aren't looking great! Then I'm back to square one.

Tough Stuff is now my go-to exfoliator, I haven't bought any others since last summer & haven't even bothered using up the ones I had! That is the sign of true love. My only complaint initially was that the sachet got messy, but then they brought out the bigger tube. However, when I flew home & only had hand luggage, my plastic bag for liquids was stuffed with sachets. I should really just get off my bum & order the tube on Feel Unique.

Even the beads are pink - I love this

Anyway, Tough Stuff gets a big thumbs up from me! It costs €7.99 for the tube, or €2.99 for a sachet, in Penneys, Boots, etc. HOWEVER I have noticed that on FeelUnique, the tube is €9.99, or two sachets are €5.63. Just sayin'. But hey, I'll pay it, because I'm down to my last bit in a sachet & the purple hue I'm rocking could do with a bit of tan. There is a Cocoa Brown Luxury Gift Set also available, with One Hour Tan, Tough Stuff, Chocolate Whip & a tan mitt - This may be winging its way to Germany right now.

I have also heard that Cocoa Brown will have 3 new products out in March - I feel this excited.

Do you use Tough Stuff?

Chloe x

Golden Globes: The Best & Worst

2014-01-14T20:43:00.000+00:00

Last year, Aoife & I dissected the fashion at the IFTAs over on her blog. I enjoyed it & I LOVE Aoife, so this year I suggested we talk about the Golden Globes & she agreed. We'd be here all night if we looked at everything that everyone pulled out of the wardrobe, so we stuck to our favourite & most hated three.

Aoife - The Best

Zooey Deschanel

I'm a big hi-lo dress fan, and Zooey's offering on the night was amazing. The colour suited her perfectly, and the length was perfect for avoiding any JLaw-style falling-up-the-stairs incidents. Lose the cardi though, love.

Amy Poehler

Amy's dress was by far my favourite on the night. No mutton dressing as lamb, no boobs everywhere. Amy was classy, sleek, and she looked like a goddess. Let's just not mention Tina's "busy" (in the words of my Mam) disaster beside her.

Leslie Mann

Now, Leslie is fairly ridey anyway, but this dress was gorgeous. I loved the peplum in the middle, which brought a bit of excitement into what could (COULD) be considered another boring black dress.

The Worst

Sandra Bullock

Unfortunately Sandy got the event mixed up with a fancy dress party she has on next week and came looking like a packet of Dolly Mix. It can happen to anyone.

Jennifer Lawrence

I see this, and I just think of that scene in The Little Mermaid where Scuttle makes Ariel a dress out of a bin bag (or something). Clearly, Scuttle is giving it another go.

Kaley Cuoco

Kaley forgot the awards were on (she did just get married, her priorities are changed now) so ripped the curtains down and did the best she could. It didn't work for me, and I did expect better from her.

Chloe - The Best

Carly Steel

I just think Carly looks beautiful. I love the embellished neck on her dress, & it's just such an elegant look. Hair, make up, bag.. I love it all.

Kate Beckinsale

Part of me just wants to know how Kate walked in this dress. I love the material, and the metallic silver is just seriously sexy. Not a fan of the bag, but we can ignore that.

Rashida Jones

This might be completely out there, but I'm really loving it. As seen above, I just like white dresses in general, especially combined with the simple cut. The belt dividing the dress just works. Plus I love her hair & make up, this is my winner.

The Worst

Elizabeth Moss

Girl, get a hairbrush. That's the nicest thing I can say about this confused mess, it looks like there wasn't enough time to finish it but then again, the less weird material & tacky patches, the better.

Joanna Newsom

This looks like something a Barbie-mad 4 year old high on coke & Skittles would create. It's just too much. I hate salmon pink, & the frills on the lower half are bad enough, you don't need them on the sleeves too.

Kate Mara

When you're as good looking as Kate Mara, it's hard to look this bad. It does absolutely nothing for her figure (what is happening up top?) & why is there any need for a weird bit sticking out in the middle? Yuck.

So they're our picks (Big thank you to Aoife for helping me out!) - Do you agree? Let me know your favourite/ least favourite dresses, I'm sure I've missed a few!

Chloe x

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

2014-01-13T07:30:00.000+00:00

As I've said before, I usually don't talk much about skin care because (1) I'm always changing mine (which is bad, I know!) & (2), everyone's skin is completely different. But recently I've kind of settled into a skin care routine, so I wanted to talk about what I use.

One of the first 'new' products I started using was Clinique's Take The Day Off Balm. I'd heard absolute horror stories about Clinique Skincare, so never even looked at it. But then I saw their Take The Day Off Cleanser for Eyes & Lips, & after a bit of googling, hit upon the balm cleanser. Everyone was raving about it, & then it kept popping up on Beaut.ie blather - So after an absolutely crap day, I ended up just going to the till with it in my hands.

First up, the packaging is nice. I like the purple tub & silver/ mirrored lid - It's just quite pretty. I know people tend not to like tubs because of hygiene reasons, but there's no other way to house a balm product really. It contains 125ml of product, which means you won't run out quickly either.

But the product itself - There's no smell. It's white. It's not miraculous. Basically, it's a very basic product, that I absolutely love. It takes off all my make up, if I use it as my first cleanser, & if it's my second cleanser/ morning cleanser, it leaves my skin feeling clean, & soft. It doesn't strip my skin, it doesn't hurt my eyes or leave my face red. And it didn't cause any break outs - I don''t believe in a 'purging atage', something either breaks your skin out or it doesn't. But with this, you just melt some of the cleanser in your hand, rub it into your face, then wash it off using a face cloth & warm water.

It costs €28 for 125ml, & may seem expensive for something so basic, but I haven't even used a quarter of it over two months - I put some into a small travel pot when I went home for Christmas, & I know the pot still has some left in it. Plus, I'll happily pay that for something that does its job & doesn't irritate my skin at all. This is the first balm cleanser I've used, but I like using products that you wash off with a face cloth & warm water - It feels nicer on my skin! Okay, it sounds like I'm not overly enthusiastic about Take The Day Off, but in reality, I absolutely love it & will definitely continue to use it.

Have you used Take The Day Off? Or do you recommend another balm cleanser?

Chloe x

Very Lovely Stuff Giveaway, with Benefit, Lancome, Essie & more!

2014-01-11T20:00:00.002+00:00

Hey!

I meant to have a Christmas give-away on the blog, but.. I forgot. So, I've decided to make it a Valentine's Give-away instead (Purely because it's going to end on 14th of February.) As usual, enter via the Rafflecopter form!

Everything up for grabs!

Essie Mademoiselle, Essie Dive Bar (reviewed here), P2 Sand Style Adorable, P2 Sand Style Precious, Essence Ice Ice Baby Icebreaker

L'Oreal Collection Privée JLo's Nude, Essence Longlasting Lipstick Dare To Wear (reviewed here), P2 Matte Deluxe Lipstick I Adore You (reviewed here), Maybelline Baby Lips Cherry Me

Catrice Smokey Eyes Palette, Maybelline Colour Tattoo Infinite White, Maybelline Colour Tattoo Immortal Charcoal, Essence Liquid Ink Eyeliner, Lancome Hypnose Mascara Sample (reviewed here), Catrice Eyebrow Set, Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara (reviewed here)

Catrice Scented Highlighting Powder, Manhattan 2 in 1 Concealer & Fixing Powder, Benefit The Porefessional Sample, Balea Hand & Nail Balsam

So that's the lot - They're all products I've tried out & I love, so I hope you do too! This give away is international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chloe x

New Year's Eve Face

2014-01-10T07:00:00.000+00:00

Seeing as I'm insufferably nosey, I love looking at other people's make up from special events, etc. So I'm sharing what I wore on New Year's Eve..

(This was obviously taken with flash, hence my skin looking a bit too soft focus.)

Face

MAC Prep & Prime

MUFE HD Foundation

Benefit Booing Concealer

MUFE Lift Concealer

Bourjois Bronzing Primer

NYC Blushable Creme Stick (Big Apple Blush)

ELF Highlighter (Lilac Petal)

ELF HD Powder

Eyes

Urban Decay Priming Potion

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Sleek Celestial Palette

Collection Lasting Colour Gel Liner

Collection Glam Crystals Gel Liner (Rockchick & Hustle)

YSL Shocking Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Urban Decay Brow Box (Brown Sugar)

Lips

ELF Lip Exfoliator

Blistex

Kardashian Beauty Joystick Lipstick Pen (Retro Red)

Pretty standard going out make up, but I still took about 5 hours to do it. And as always, I wore Cocoa Brown One Hour Tan.

Chloe x

Essence NOTD

2014-01-08T14:16:00.001+00:00

Hello hello hello,
Seeing as the first week of January is apparently the worst of the year, why not paint my nails something equally as gloomy? Haha in reality I've just been loving both of these polishes for the last month or two, but only now has it hit me - I should combine them! I did, & I'm loving the result.

Moonless Nights & Here's My Number

I used Essence 03 Moonless Night, which is the suede from the Dark Romance collection on all my nails, & then did an accent nail of their Sparkle Sand Effect polish, 165 Here's My Number. Moonless Night goes on really well, two thin coats gives perfect opacity & it finishes to a lovely matte. Yep, I'd call it more matte than suede, but I can forgive that because it's such a pretty, unique grey. It's quite smokey, but it nearly has teal tones to it as well. Definitely a winter shade! Here's My Number has even better coverage - One coat, good to go. (Though obviously it was layered over Moonless Night, so it didn't have to work as hard..) It's a dark grey grey base, with black & holographic glitter it - It's so pretty, I keep looking at the glitter changing from silver to blue to purple etc! It is a bit gritty to the touch, but it's not too bad if you only use one coat.

Please, looks at the polish, not at the state of the skin surrounding them..

I really like these two polishes together - I think the glitter contrasts nicely against the matte polish, but the colours tie in together. Plus, they're both around €1.49 -What's not to love? Essence is usually in Penneys & Sam McCauleys.

What's your favourite nail combo?
Chloe x

Tag - Make Up

2014-01-04T07:00:00.000+00:00

Thank you to the lovely Cindy from Girl With The Skew Earring for tagging me! I only noticed this a month later haha, because I haven't been reading through blogs as much as usual when I arrived home. But Cindy's blog is one of the first blogs I started reading, because it's one of the main Irish blogs I absolutely love. Her Friday Funny posts were my favourite thing to cheer me up, & I love looking at her nail art. So go check GWTSE out!

When did you begin loving make up?

I first began using make up when I was about 13 - Just for discos, etc. I think I was about 15 when I started wearing it more, & learned more on applying it - I made the journey to Dublin to fork out on Bobbi Brown foundation, for my pale skin! (No idea where I got the money at that age.) In Transition Year, we got a make up class, & I got a make up application by Urban Decay that year too, which really encouraged me to figure out as much as I could! But it was probably around 17 that I really developed a passion for make up & kept learning as much as possible. It was around then that I started reading blogs too, & since getting a job, a lot of money goes on make up.

Chilling in the onesie without a scrap of make up.

How do you feel without make up?

Grand. I do much prefer myself with make up, but I can deal without it. If I'm in a rush in the morning, I throw my make up bag into my bag & just give myself a quick going over in work - Mascara & eyeliner makes me feel more myself. I go without foundation, concealer, etc quite often in college, but for work I try to make more of an effort - I feel & look more polished, which I prefer when I'm representing work. But for going out, etc, I go for a full face of make up. Obviously, when I've had lots of sleep, been eating well, etc my skin is better, so I'll happily just wear mascara! (I need that definition, at least.)

What do you like about make up?

I like how make up enhances features & changes how you look. It's just fun to experiment with different products, & to see how they work on different people. Obviously I love putting it on & making myself look better, but I like trying out things on other people too! Maybe I sound sad, but I can happily spend time trying out looks I've seen on blogs & YouTube, wondering if they'll suit me or drown my face.

Three Holy Grail make up products?

Eeeeek! I change products so much... I don't know if I have any with HG status! But 3 I probably couldn't go without are -
Urban Decay Naked Palette - I use it more than any other palette, & I know that if I could only use one for the rest of my life, I could survive with the Naked. (Though I still want Naked 3.)
OPI Nail Envy - I can't paint my nails without a layer of Nail Envy first. For the first time in my life, my nails are actually longer than half a centimetre.
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara - Not something that would ever make my list of "OH MY GOD BUY THIS NOW" products, but I always like mascara on my bottom lashes, & I haven't found anything that works as well as this mascara specifically made for the job, so I'll be repurchasing.

For this, I tag -
Girl Friday's Beauty Blog
The Nail Affair
Rara Giggles
Too Many Muffins
Belle Morte Beauty

Let me know if you do it!

Chloe x