Tattoo Time!!

***What follows in this post, is all my own opinion. I am not in the business of lying to people, especially when it concerns something as serious and permanent as a tattoo. I am grateful to the whole gang down at Spilled Ink for being so cool, and I definitely wont be forgetting them for this!***

The basic design...
Fotor wouldn't let me
 do any better!

On Friday 30th of August, I was lucky enough to be able to go to Spilled Ink Tattoos, and get a tattoo for free. The agreement was that I would pimp the studio in a blog post, on my Facebook page, etc. So I'm going to review the whole experience from the start to end, because I can, and I want to!

I will say though, before we get into this post, that I never actually intended to get a free tattoo. I was pricing work with various studios in Dublin, and I got talking to Mario (Spilled Inks lovely owner, and yes, he really is lovely) who offered me a pretty sound price. Being broke has its pitfalls though, and I was prepared to pay for this piece fully, when and idea hit me...

Phil! Spilled Ink has an apprentice, and if you have seen his portfolio (HERE) you'll know he's a cut above most apprentices, for sure! I thought it would be worth an ask, if nothing else and Mario informed me that if I wanted to get my work done by the apprentice, it would be free, but of course, I would have to accept the risk of him being an apprentice, you know, slight inconsistencies and the like. No bother to me at all, as you will see further on, the tattoo I was getting is all line work, so my worry levels were pretty much nil.

So, I hashed it out with Mario and we agreed on a bit of pimping and the like (I wont get into that because I doubt he wants to be hounded for free ink morning noon and night), to which I duly agreed and we sorted the day for Friday at 11am. I e-mailed Phil with the design, and then double checked both on t'internet and with Mario himself about the aftercare lotion I would need so I could buy it ahead of time!

Apprentice tattoo artists are only going to be let tattoo willing clients if the fully qualified artists training them think they are up to it. I can't imagine how much pressure there is in this job, its nothing like painting a canvas, since the client can feel pain, will breathe, cough, you name it-- and they have to allow for that. I always said I'd love to be able to tattoo people, but I think I'll stick to blogging as my creative outlet! I have the utmost respect for tattoo artists, they do a difficult job when you think about it!

The studio is located at 18 Great Denmark St, Dublin 1, which is right in the heart of the city. It's actually quite near to the Hugh Lane Gallery, The Gardens of Remembrance, and if you need a landmark walking from Parnell/O'Connell St, hang a right at the Candy Cafe and it's on the right hand side! (Check me out with all my bases covered!) Here's the map for those of you who may need it!

The studio itself is absolutely beautiful!! It's all glossy floors, and you can smell the lovely scent of the disinfectant stuff they use. It's a smell that makes my heart beat fast, how sad is that?! They have a comfy seating area with leather chairs and a leather sofa, and a table absolutely covered in books about tattoos, art, music and movies. I indulged in my love of Banksy, and satisfied my curiosity in regards to Russian Criminal Tattoos.

Phil showed me the printed design and we both concurred that it was a bit too big so he shrunk it down a bit and we sized it against my leg. Perfect!! Then we went back into the actual room, where I stood on a chair (I'm a short arse!!) to have the transfer applied. After 3 attempts (because he' a perfectionist and I stand like a goon thanks to hyper-extension in my knees), the transfer was perfectly straight down my leg. Once it was totally straight and perfect, it was needle time! Phil had set out a single and a shading needle, a fresh pot of black ink, a massive hunk of Petroleum Jelly, and a bunch of paper towels. Everything that Phil was going to be touching was barrier wrapped, and that includes the plinth I was going to be laying on. He put his disposable gloves on in front of me and then we got down to the sore bit...

Phil worked from the bottom (nearest my foot), upwards. The outlining was pretty tough to sit through, I won't lie! I swear, poor Phil, and Chris had to listen to me bitching about the pain. You'd have sworn I was never tattooed before. Once the "Doom" emblem was outlined, Phil said he would fill it in and then that would be one done. The lines were so close together, though, that he had to shade it with the single needle. It wasn't actually as bad as the outline, but when the needle got closer to a bone or tendon it would suck a bit more.

A quick glove change, and then it was time to outline the Heartagram. I decided I needed to get up when the outline was done so I could go to the bathroom and walk around (my hips like to cease up). Phil wiped my leg down, and wrapped me up so I could venture out to the reception area, the bathroom and walk around a bit. I had the chats with Mario and Paul, and Pauls client who was in for the first session of a Lego Superhero sleeve. My phone rang before we were due to go back in to finish the rest of my leg, and by the time I got off the phone, I was dancing my way back down to Phil to finish my sitting.

More fresh gloves, more anti-bac squirty stuff. Onward with the shading we went! I have never sat under a shading needle before, so it was all new to me. I have to admit that it was sore in places but not as bad as outlining by a long shot. Once the Heartagram was all filled in, it was on to the "Venus" emblem. This one sucked. Its only saving grace was the short lines on the outline. Phil was great though, he let me have a minute here and there when I needed it, and distracted me with the chats. Life was good.

When it was all done, all filled in and little bits of touching up attended to, my leg was fully wiped down with anti-bac stuff (I dunno, it jut smelled good to me), snapped a few pictures for his portfolio, and wrapped me up really well, because he knew I was going to be out and about for the rest of the day. When I was all sorted, I went back out to Mario and Phil, got my amazingly detailed and customised aftercare sheet (customised by the day you get your work done, rather than the client, but still!), some healing advice, and gave Phil a well deserved tip. The lads all had muffins I baked them too, which definitely softened them up a bit! Everyone likes Double Chocolate Devils Food Cupcakes!

All in all, I was treated so well, and got the best tattoo in my collection in Spilled Ink. I waited 5 years to get this piece, thinking and rethinking and thinking some more about the placement and the sizing, about whether it was a good idea etc. I am 100% sure I got the right man for the job, and I had the best morning/afternoon having a laugh, and a really clean, safe experience. I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

I wouldn't be writing this if I wasn't insanely happy.

Thanks Phil for his amazing work and infinite patience, and thanks to Mario for hooking me up.
You're both  on the Christmas Card list! :D

If you want some good tattoo work done, swing by Spilled Ink, I promise you wont be disappointed!

If you want to get in contact with Spilled Ink, you can find them on Facebook, or you can give the studio a call on 01-8741111 or 086-3973636 OR you can email them at spilledinktattoo@hotmail.com   
 
Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed my experience!
 
Amy xxx
 
 
 

September Beauty Blog Challenge

So as most of you know, I took part in Girl Friday's June Beauty Blog Challenge. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and made it through, despite my dad being rushed into hospital somewhere in the middle of it. I stuck it out, 30 days and 30 posts.

You can imagine my excitement when our lovely Challenge Mistress posted the link to her September Beauty Blog Challenge on Twitter. This challenge will be a mix of beauty and lifestyle posts, to break it up a bit, especially since 30 days of beauty is going to alienate the male readers out there.

Originally, I was going to try to vlog one half of the topics, and blog the other half (making it a total of 60), but I have since realized that would be a crushing amount of work and I do have a Double FITA to organize and run amidst all this, so I will be sticking to blogging for the most part.

If you would like to keep up to date with the challenge posts on Twitter, you will find us under the hashtag #SBBC

The topics I will be doing are as follows:

1. Intro- What do you hope to achieve? Why?
2. Favorite eye palette?
3. What you bring travelling?
4. Positives about blogging.
5. A recipe
6. Travel dreams.
7. Fantasy dinner party.
8. Letter to someone from your past.
9. Ways to incorporate color into your look.
10. Beauty pet peeves
11. How did your blog get its name?
12. Life advice to a younger person
13. DIY beauty
14. Post you are proudest of?
15. "Beauty things I suck at" tag
16. Things I love
17. A photo from your day
18. Who/What inspires you?
19. €250 to spend...How do you spend it?
20. 10 things under €10
21. Advice to others about blogging
22. A quote you love
23. Hints & Tips
24. Brand highlight (Things they do well & not so well)
25. Icon? Who and Why?
26. Beauty history: Your successes and failures?
27. A song you love
28. In 5 years I will be...
29. Era you wish you could have lived in?
30. Reflection.

As with the June Beauty Blog Challenge, I will be adding a link to each of these points, so by the 1st of October, I'll have 30 more live links for ease of access! 

I cant wait to see what the rest of you come up with for this challenge! 

See you in September, ladies!!

Amy

xx

That's What I'm Talkin' About... Real Techniques

Real Techniques brushes are my all-time favorite brushes, let's just clarify that here and now. The day I invested in the Eye Started Kit and Chris bought me the Core Collection, I knew it was true love. I have since bought the Blush and Powder brushes, bringing my total collection to 12 out of 19 (not counting the Limited Edition Duo Fiber brushes).

Before I had these brushes in my life, I was inept at any kind of nice make-up, and as a result, I stuck to the same old, tired looks, unable to take risks, because they always looked dire! I am, after all, the girl who wore BB Cream on a night out, and went barefaced all day every day.

All that has changed, because of these brushes. On the back of all the packaging, there is a quote from Samantha Chapman, "With simple tricks and high-tech tools, every woman can be an expert...", which I believe to be absolutely true. Ever since I started using Real Techniques, I have been getting compliments on my eye-makeup, my blush, everything! I've got such a big head because of Sam Chapman, it's crazy.

I have recommended these brushes all around myself, both online and in real life. I would never recommend something I didn't personally adore. They are so worth the money, and once you take care of them, they will make your makeup look ah-mazing! They have actually given me confidence in my abilities.

To wash my RT brushes, I pop some Johnson's Baby Shampoo in a cup (about the size of a €1 coin) and fill it halfway with water. Then I dunk my brushes (usually I start with my foundation brush so I can use it to combine the water and shampoo)and swirl them on my hand to get a lather up. I squeeze the excess lather out of them, and when all the pigment is gone (you'll know once the foam stops coming up tinted with foundation/shadow/whatever) I rinse the with barely warm water, and swirl them more, to be sure the foam has dissipated so they are squeaky clean.

Once every brush is clean, I shake them over the sink to drive out the majority of the excess water, and then squeeze them in a clean towel. I have invested in Brush Guard tape to re-shape the brushes as they dry, and I stand them upside-down against a wall, on a towel. These brushes stand up to washing very well, because of their fluffy Taklon bristles, which are synthetic and cruelty-free. I actually love washing them, because I know they are rid of bacteria and sebum, and they always smell lovely from the baby shampoo.

Overall, I think its fair to say I am obsessed with Real Techniques brushes. They make me feel confident in my own abilities, and apply my makeup beautifully. These brushes were the best investment I've ever made, when it comes to make-up.

I am an expert on my own make-up, thanks to these brushes, and Sam Chapman!

Real Techniques brushes are available in Boots nationwide, and from their website, realtechniques.com. You can check out Real Techniques on Youtube too, and Pixiwoo, the channel of Sam and Nic Chapman. 

Catrice Glamour Doll Mascara

I have finally parted ways with my Maybelline The Rocket Volum' mascara.

It was heartbreaking to the point where I had to give it to my mother and have her dispose of it. I knew the time was coming, and so to prepare myself, I decided to treat myself to a Catrice mascara, because there is NO WAY on Earth that I am opening my Covergirl mascara from Kayleigh until at least Christmas.

I hadn't heard much about Glamour Doll mascara, to be honest, and what I had heard, well... Wasn't good. But something in me was drawn to it, and so I decided to go for it. The logic there was, "If its awful, I'll open my Covergirl, and that's that!". When I got it home, I was beyond expectant, and since I wore no make up at all today (until I got back to the house) I knew I could road test it straight away!

First up, I'm diggin' the applicator.

I really like rubbery/plastic wands with those little nubby bristles. I'm also enjoying the tapered shape of the wand. It looks like that Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes, but also like the Maybelline The Rocket too... The tube is also nice too, with undulating curves, and neat silver wording. Very appealing, and very slick looking for under €5.00.

Next up, first impressions. Please remember this part of the post was written one week ago today.

Upon first application, I have tentatively decided I like it. First applied around 1pm, and now at almost 11pm (at time of writing), it's still pretty perfect. My lashes still hold a lovely curl and are dark as well as evenly coated and separated. It doesn't irritate my eyes either, which is a huge selling point I would happily point out to my fellow lens wearers. The formula is nice, not too wet, not too thick, and very, very black.

Removal was easy enough, it comes off with ease using a facial wipe and it left no clumpy "after the fact" lashes in its wake.

So far, so good! I will be happily using this for the next while, that's for sure! I'm really glad that I decided to pick this up, as for €4.49 in Penneys, it was a worthwhile purchase. I have no doubt if I were to decide to watch the pennies, that I would repurchase this lovely budget beauty in a heartbeat.

What do you think of Glamour Doll Mascara? Have you tried it in its Waterproof version? Tell me what you thought of that, please! 

Amy
xxx

Liebster Awards

My lovely friend Kayliegh, of Kayliegh Land tagged me late last week to do this Liebster Awards post, but up until now I have been sick, busy, injured and now I'm sick again but regardless, I am going to do my best to complete this. 

The Liebster Awards are a way of uniting smaller, lesser known bloggers (with less than 1000 followers) and encouraging them to keep on going, to persevere and continue to write. I have actually done this once before, but I love answering questions and doing "tags" so I'm going to do it again...Why not?! 

There are 11 questions that I get to answer, then 11 facts, and then I get to tag 5 bloggers to do this challenge too, and set them questions of my own, so lets get down to it!! 

1. Why did you start blogging?

In all honesty, I don't know what prompted me to start to write, but my descision came out of a bad place, a place where I felt isolated, due to panic attacks, anxiety and some would probably say depression too... I was on my laptop in bed late one night and I stumbled onto Blogspot, and that was it. I had found beauty blogs before that, in passing (the likes of Audrey come to mind) but I never made the connection that maybe I could do it too. When I started writing, I made a pact with myself that I would keep it up until I got better, whenever that was. I never thought people would want to read my silly little words, but here I am, running this blog, and co-running Mental Health Monday with my good friend and fellow tough chick, Kayliegh! 

Blogging proved to be the best medicine for me, because now I'm so much happier, more level and more confident than I've ever been in my whole life. 

2. Where do you like to shop? 

I like to shop in a lot of places, because I don't seem to have a definite style. With that said, I pick up my basics in Penneys, so, jeans, tank-tops, tights, some shoes and some dresses. I think Penneys have improved in their quality a lot in recent months, and their sizes are pretty good too, especially since they started carrying a UK6!! 

I also like to shop in New Look, River Island, Topshop, Charity shops, Elverys, and in smaller boutique type shops! 

3. Do you think that the more money you pay means you get a better product?

Generally, I think that you get what you pay for. When it comes to handbags, wallets and shoes I am willing to shell out for a quality item. With that said, there is an exception to every rule, and that exception is River Island purses. I wouldn't be bothered to part with €30 for another wallet, even though I loved my cream leather one. Still wouldn't buy one from Penneys, though!! 

4. Do you plan out your posts? How?

Yes. I plot out my posts in a notebook, in bullet points and then I take and edit the pictures before I do out a finished post. This post is actually being written from notes jotted in a notebook over the weekend. :)

5. What magazines do you read the most?

Generally I treat myself to one magazine a week. It used to be Cosmopolitan or Glamour, but lately I've been leaning towards U and Look as cheaper alternatives. As an archer, I read a specialized magazine called Bow International. Finally, as a music fan, I pick up Metal Hammer, Kerrang and Rock sound from time to time!

6. How do you store your products? 

I am a bit of a neat-freak, so my make-up storage is pretty well organized. I have a whole video about it, which I will link here. 

7. How do you take your Summer wardrobe into Autumn/Winter?

I'm less of a "transitional" wardrobe person, and more of a seasonal storage type. When I have to transition pieces, I use tights and knee-high socks to do so, as well as woolies, and layers. As far as colors go, I am always inclined to deep berry tones, creams and festive prints like Fairisle. Boots are also a big thing for me, and I'm thinking of investing in a pair of knee-high Dr Martens for the Autumn/Winter season. 

8. What are your favorite accessories?

I'm a big fan of necklaces. Statement necklaces are my go to accessory, as a general rule. My favorite of all these is my gunmetal, drop stud necklace that I wore to Chris's college ball this year. I also have a penchant for chunky silver rings. If it looks like it would hurt if I punched you, I'll pop that sucker on my finger!! :D

9.What part of your appearance do you spend the most time and focus on?

This one is a difficult question for me. I spend a fair bit on my appearance because I feel like the one friend everyone has that never looks as good as the rest of the friend group. I can spend anything up to an hour on my face, and there has not yet been a timer patient enough to record my efforts at picking out a warm but stylish outfit. 

10. Where do you get inspiration from, for your blog-posts? 

Another toughie! I find inspiration in the STRANGEST places, a passing thought when I'm sick, a converstation with Chris, a photo on Pinterest, books, magazines, YouTube, friends, even just walking down the street. I keep a notebook on me at all times, or my phone at a push and I jot down all of my notions and possible blog topics as they occur to me. 

I also will plot out posts when I'm in a situation wherein I cant post a blog with ease. I like to keep on top of my blogging as best I can. 

11. What advice would you give to other bloggers?

Don't change unless its coming from you. Do not let ANYONE change you. You are brilliant and so is your blog. The only change that should happen is organic change, you decided and nobody else. Once you are proud of what your blog is about, don't worry about it. My blog started as a personal blog and naturally progressed into a beauty blog, while still maintaining personal elements!

And now, 11 facts: 

1. I am 100% more comfortable in my own skin since I cut my hair. 
2. Sour Patch Watermelons are my favorite sweets. 
3. Lyons Tea is the best tea ever and as such, I refuse to drink Barry's.
4. I still sleep with my childhood bear.
5. When I knit, I look like I'm going to injure myself or others, but I can crochet no bother!
6. I have 2 national medals from the Irish Amateur Archery Association, Silver for outdoors, bronze for indoor, both from 2 years ago.
7. I have three tattoos, and I'm planning my fourth.
8. I'm the youngest of 4 daughters; a thirteen year gap separates me and the next sister.
9. I've been going out with Chris for two and a half years and I've never felt more safe and happy with someone.
10. I am weird and I am not afraid to show it. By that I mean I will dance in public, and say random crap. You have been warned.
11. I'm lactose intolerant. SOY ALL THE WAY!!

MY TURN!!! 

1. What does your blog mean to you?
2. Who knows about your blog? Friends? Family? 
3. What is your "go to" outfit for a night out? 
4. What is the post you are most proud of and why? Add a link to it. 
5. What is your favorite pair of shoes, and why?
6. Have you any guilty pleasures? 
7. Who is your favorite author?
8. What do you scrimp on, and what do you splurge on?
9. Current obsession?
10. Tough chick, or damsel in distress? Explain your choice.
11. What does your happy place look like?

I TAG: 

Laura - My Little World

Natasha - Natasha's Wonderland

Hannah- A Bullet To The Head

Clara- Pinkies Blog

Mags- Magatha May

THE RULES!!!

If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:

1. Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.

2. Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)

3. Answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.

4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.

5. Nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)

6. Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.

7. List these rules in your post. (You can copy and paste them from here.)

Once you have written your post, and published it, you then have to:

8. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

That's What I'm Talkin' About... Catrice Cosmetics

Since I started blogging, I've been more open to trying new products. As a result, I've been buying a lot of new things, different brands, snapping up good deals and trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn't! 

A brand that has impressed me at every turn is Catrice Cosmetics. Catrice is a budget brand that comes from Cosnova, the company that produces both Catrice and Essence, another budget cosmetics range that far outdoes itself when you consider the price! 

Catrice is that tad-bit pricier than Essence, but it is that bit better in quality, so the price is nothing but reflective of that. My Catrice collection is modest, but I have been nothing but impressed with every product! I have not felt that I have wasted a single penny with any of my purchases. The best bit is because of the modest price tag, you can treat yourself, and there is no guilt! I don't think I've ever found a Catrice product over €6.00!!

The collection I have pictured is the product of a few months of small investments, and it is all made up of things from the permanent collection. I haven't included my lipsticks or lip-liners because I think they deserve their own post. 

Lets start with the Translucent Loose Powder. I adore this and will absolutely repurchase it again and again! The best bit is that it is un-tinted and so will be perfect over any foundation to set it. It leaves a matte, almost velvet finish. Another point in its favour is that it does not leave a white cast in flash photos (at least that's what I have found, though I apply it with a light hand). 

Next, my Eyebrow Stylist in the shade "Blonde But Brow-d"... That's true love right there. It's got a spoolie on one end and a lovely pencil on the other, which goes perfectly with my ginger brows - no mean feat, that's for sure!

A more recent addition is my highlight powder. This is in the shade "010: Fairy Dust" and it's a really subtle highlighter, definitely appropriate for daytime wear, with a warm undertone, perfect for summer! 

Next up are my Lip Cream Colours. These were chosen from a sale basket and are absolutely beautiful, sheer glosses that I am pretty sure can still be gotten off any Catrice stand. They also smell lovely and are housed in very sturdy square tubes with the usual doe-foot applicators. 

A new love of mine is the Glamour Doll Volume mascara! I admit that I didn't hear good things before I bought it, and many people would consider me to have gone against my better judgement, but it's proven me wrong, and I'm very happy with it! It holds the curl all day and doesn't flake or smudge. A worthy purchase, and definitely a contender for my beloved Maybelline The Rocket. 

My last item and my latest purchase is my Calligraph Eyeliner Pen. It has the finest nib and the blackest formula of all budget eyeliners that I have tried to this day. I am beyond impressed, especially with the fine, flexible nib on the pen and the ease with which you can create either a fine, subtle cat eye or a thick, bold flick! Definitely one to revisit, especially if you are new to winged liner!

What do you think of Catrice Cosmetics? Have you tried any of these? Is there anything you would like to recommend to me to try? Leave me a comment down below! 

Pick-Me-Up Treats

I was desperately sick yesterday and I decided that I was in need of a little pick me up! So I went to Dublin early, on my way to Drogheda and went looking for a suitable treat to fill the void! 

First stop, Boots. Buy One Get One Half Off on Real Techniques brushes? Sound! I picked up a Powder Brush and a Blush Brush! Super-soft taklon bristles that are cruelty free, coupled with the colour-coded handles? Ohhhhhyes!! 

Next up, I hit a Catrice stand...hard! I picked up a Calligraph Ultra-Slim Eyeliner Pen for €3.99, a Prime And Fine Highlighter (Yes, I am a highlighter obsessive now, lets move on!) for €4.99 and two Lip Colour Creams at €2.15 each! 

I nipped into Tesco for some bits for Chris's dad and I found a Sally Hansen Lip Inflation and nabbed that too for €8.99. Score!

I also nipped into A-Wear for some nice bling, because, "Hey look there's a sale!!", and nabbed a gorgeous black, leather like necklace with five gold skulls on it down from €10.00 to €3.00. 

I also picked up a lovely ring with tribal accents and some sparely gem detailing! The best bit about this ring is that the actual ring portion is stretchy. I am very impressed with the weighty quality for the  price! €3.00 - down from €10!!

All in all I feel much better today both physically, and in regards to my morale too! All systems are go for Eminem tomorrow!! 

So tell me what you think of my purchases! Would you be inclined towards any of them? The RT brushes were a no-brainer, don't you think? 

Amy

X

Liquid & Pen Liner Collection Overview

When it comes to liquid liner, I'm not particularly obsessed; Definitely not as much as I am with lipstick. I own five different eyeliners (not counting pencil liners) and today I want to talk about why I like them so much.

E.L.F Liquid Liner:

My lovely (and super generous) friend from Florida, Kayleigh (who you can find here), sent this as part of our swap. I don't think I have ever loved an eyeliner as much as this. That would be because it has a very very fine brush applicator, which make my limited eyeliner skills look brilliant!

My only problem with this liner, would be the wear time. I have a tendency to use this liner just as a guide-liner for my Loreal Super Liner. If the wear time were improved, I'd have no problem going to the nearest rooftop and shouting "Holy Grail, huzzah!!"

According to eyeslipsface.co.uk this eyeliner retails for €1.73. 

17 Liquid Liner

This liner came as part of a Christmas gift from my cousin Maria last year.

This has a really nice brush, though its not as thin as the E.L.F brush. The wear time, however, really makes up for the brush. It will NOT budge unless you take oil-based eye makeup remover to it.

I swiped this on my arm to figure out how to describe the formulas, and all I can say is, after 3 days of scrubbing its finally faded. That says it all!

I couldn't find a price for this liner, and it was part of a discontinued kit, so I can't even give you the price of that, sorry! Boots do carry a wide array of 17 liners though, so check them out.

Loreal Super Liner Blackbuster

This has to be the most disappointing of the five liners. I had such high hopes for it, but it just didn't meet them. This liner would be better suited to someone who just wants a faint, deep grey liner, rather than a bold black line. The felt tip on this has so much potential too, though maybe my dislike of that could be attributed to my ham-fists... I would be keen to retry this is the formula ever changed.

Loreal Super Liner Blackbuster retails for €10.75 in Boots.

Loreal Super Liner - Black Crystals

This liner is amazing, and completely in a different league to its Blackbuster counterpart. I did not realize at the time of purchase that it was Black Crystals, rather, I just thought the sparkles on the packaging were for decoration. The "crystal" element is a very very fine silver glitter, which is only really noticeable if you go for a thick winged liner. I wear this liner almost every day, and I think that the glitter is a nice touch to add to a simple look.

Loreal Super Liner - Black Crystals retails for €15.29 in Boots.

Essence Eyeliner Pen

This one is a pure, unmitigated bargain! I purchased this when I was just getting used to applying liner, because I felt the felt-tip was the easiest to work with. It has a very fine, almost oriental-brush like tip, ideal for the unsure liner user. Its only downfall is that two coats are needed to make it truly opaque, but hey, you get what you pay for!

Essence Eyeliner Pen is available from Penneys and Pharmacies nationwide and will set you back €3.59. 

Overall, I am happy with my liner collection, though it may be paltry by many beauty bloggers standards. The only one of this collection that I would not recommend is the Super Liner Blackbuster.

What do you think of my collection? Are there any liners you feel I am missing?
Please let me know in the comments if there are, and don't forget to tell me why they rock! I may well pick them up...

xo
Amy

Blog Awards: Nominations Galore!!

I'm so proud and grateful to be able to have
this button on my blog, and on
Mental Health Monday, too!

Tonight I cried tears of joy.

Red Lips, Red Hair has been nominated in 3 categories for the 2013 Blog Awards Ireland. I cannot express my joy properly through words, but I am so grateful to whoever nominated me! You guys are the reason I blog, the reason I am happier now that I've been in 3 years. Because of you I have been nominated in these categories:

• Best Beauty and Fashion Blog (sponsored by Newsletter.ie)
• Best Youth Blog 
• Best Newcomer 

I am so thankful to everyone who reads my blog, watches my videos and follows not only my Twitter, but my Facebook too.

Myself and Kayliegh (whose blog was also nominated) have a blogging project which is also nominated in two places, Mental Health Monday. A fellow contributor to MHM, Siobhan, has had her personal blog nominated too! Mental Health Monday has been nominated in

• Best Health and Well-being Blog
• Best Newcomer 

I am so unbelievably grateful to everyone, and I hope that you will vote for me because I truly believe that I can make you proud. 

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!

*attack hugs*!!!

Amy

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Review

Not too long ago, as many of you know, I was involved in a swap with a new found friend of mine from Florida. One of the many items she sent me was the Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls.

This product instantly caught my attention, as I knew from the shimmering pearls in the compact, it was a highlight powder. Boy was I excited. Actually, excited doesn't really cover it, but I digress. I waited to use it, pushing my already limited patience to the very precipice, and then I dove in!

Firstly, lets look at the packaging; It's just gorgeous. The attention to detail here, with the little pearl set in the center of the lid is just fabulous. It comes encased in sturdy, high shine silver and clear acetate that snaps closed with that oh-so-lovely "click!" that we all know and trust.

Next, the compact actually has two lids. The actual lid, and the product flips out to reveal a decently sized mirror and a very handy brush. I was delighted with this added touch.

The product itself is so flippin' pigmented all you have to do is dab your brush in it and you are good to go for one cheek, another dab for the other and then I'm done! I've had this highlight for well over a month now, and I'm still not wearing any kind of a dent in the convex pearl-shaped dimples. Very much a plus!

All in all, this product is a complete and total "Holy Grail" for me. It's so well packaged, well formulated and well pigmented that I couldn't say one bad thing about it even if I tried.

Modelling the highlight... Swit Swoooo!!! 

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Glow Pearls are translucent and so will compliment all skin types.

What do you think of this product? Have you tried it? Do you think it's going to go on your Beauty Wishlist? 

Drop me a line,
Amy
xo

Look Beauty "Cheeky Trio" Review

When I went to Newry and couldn't lay hands on Sleek, I thought my trip to find a decent contour kit had been in vain. Yet, somehow, whatever deity there is up there in the sky smiled upon me and I found the Look Beauty Cheeky Trio kit.

At £8.00 this kit actually undercuts Sleeks offering, but that didn't really matter to me and it still doesn't, as I will find Sleek some time soon and it will be mine!!

Rose Gold Eye Tutorial

Hello, lovely readers!

I posted a new tutorial to my YouTube channel for you guys! I hope you like it! This look is a rose gold eye look, created with my beloved Accessorize Exposed palette. Simple and flattering, this look will suit almost everyone, and you can make it your own with a slick of your chosen lip colour.

Enjoy!!


Amy,
xx

Catrice Prime and Fine Translucent Powder Review

Hi, my name is Amy and I have an addiction to budget beauty products.

On a recent foray to Maynooth, I wandered into a small chemist where I knew there was a very good, largely unspoiled Catrice stand. I was just gonna pick up "one thing, one treat, that's it, Amy, do you hear?!", but as usual, I went a tiny bit mad... There were half price things, who was I to ignore that?!

I knew I wanted to try the Prime and Fine Translucent Powder, and so I grabbed that, and snagged some other bargain, went up to the counter to pay, and verbally abused my lack of restraint all the way back to the car!

I must admit, this white powder looks scary as hell. I was actually a bit intimidated by it at first... But I tried it and I was surprised!

MUA Blusher Review

On a recent trip to Newry, the idea of which was to procure make-up brands we find hard to get down here in the Republic, I picked up two MUA (Make Up Acadamy) blushes (on Audrey's recommendation) for £1.00 each.



Left: Marshmallow; Right: Bubble Gum

 

                                             Left: Marshmallow; Right: Bubble Gum

 

These blushes come in sleek black and clear acetate packaging and snap closed with a very reassuring "click". For £1.00 that can't be faulted. They are also slim and very compact, though the pans are large enough to be considered generous, especially for the price. 

                                    Marshmallow and Bubble Gum, good enough to eat? 

When I tested these out, by swatching each of the colours, I was extremely impressed with the softness and the pigmentation! They glide on with wondrous ease and they are super easy to blend. I know I'm labouring the point here, but these beauties are a pound!!!

This is what they look like on...

                                Left Cheek: Marshmallow; Right Cheek: Bubble Gum

As you can probably tell from the pictures, the Marshmallow shade is much more pink-toned than the Bubble gum, which has an almost coral hint. 

All in all, I am very impressed with the quality of these bargain gems! They are beautiful and very easy to apply, with wonderful results! 

What do you think? Are they as impressive in your opinion as they are in mine? 

xo

Amy

What Do You Think Of: Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Smokey Eye

I'm starting a new segment on my blog every weekend called "What Do You Think Of: ?" wherein I shall be picking a product or a look and either reviewing or recreating it. 

This weekend I picked to split the difference and both review and recreate. I am reviewing the Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo eyeshadow pots in Timeless Black and Eternal Silver, as well as using both of these shades to do a simple smokey eye. I need simple looks in my arsenal; simple looks for a simple girl. 

This is about as simple as it gets, all you need is:

Maybelline Colour Tattoo's in Timeless Black and Eternal Silver. 

One blending brush. 

Black Eyeliner, 

Black Mascara 

Lash Curlers

First, these shadows are creamy and so beautifully pigmented that they rival higher end products, or at least in my estimation, they should! I started with a base of the silver shade all over my lids, concentrating on the inner corner, and spreading it out lightly over the rest of the lid. I then dabbed the black shade on the outer corner lightly working it over to the centre. Then I took my Eco Tools Buffing Concealer Brush and blended out the harsh edges on the very outer corner and buffed it into the crease, essentially hazing out the harsh definition between the silver and black. Be careful not to blend too much or you will make the silver look tarnished! 

To intensify the look, dab another small amount of Timeless black onto the very outer corner, just shy of the blended line and smudge it gently to darken it up. 

Take a small bit of the black on your baby finger and smudge it onto the lower lash and waterline (just atop the bottom lashes to avoid making yourself look like a panda) and smudge it in halfway. Then take the silver again and bring it over to meet the black on your lower lash-line. 

Line your waterline with black pencil liner, curl your lashes and apply your mascara; Bobs your teapot, you're done!!

Top Tip! If your silver colour is looking dirty from the black, just brighten it up with a small dab of the fresh silver shade!

For Even More Drama: You could line your top lash line with liquids eyeliner for a sultry flick, as I have above. 

xo 

Amy 

Newry Haul (Beauty and Make-Up)

For those of you who follow me on  Twitter, let me apologise for the week of going on, and on and on some more about my trip to Newry. I was so excited for it! And, it didn't disappoint.

I suppose I should clarify straight of the bat, that I was hell bent on getting Sleek products, but despite trawling the city, couldn't find a single hint of a Sleek counter. I made up for it though. As you'll soon see...

The first place we went to ("We" being my long suffering boyfriend, and I) was to Superdrug. I was admittedly like a demon when I was told by a very apologetic sales lady that there was, in fact, no Sleek products to be found in this branch. Grr! But, while the sun shines, you make hay, as we say back home. I was still in Superdrug, I still had a wad of pounds in my wallet, sure, I was obliged to make the most of it!

On the first trip around Superdrug, I bee-lined for the MUA stand.

Blush! I was not leaving without my two blush products that I lusted over on the website! I picked up Bubble Gum and Marshmallow, two gorgeous blushes for £1.00 each!

 

Then I remembered needing bright blue liquid eyeliner, and I found that on the MUA stand, again, for a seriously steep (sarcasm doesn't go well over text) £1.00 price-tag. 

 

Last but not least, I spied a lipstick trio, of 3 gorgeous red shades, under the moniker of "Temptress". £1.50? I am Red-Lips-Red-Hair, so it would have been rude not to! I have yet to swatch them, but I will be doing some filmed reviews so keep an eye on my YouTube channel for those!
 

Right around the corner from the MUA stand, was the NYC stand, and while I am fully aware we can get NYC down south, in any Primark worth its salt, I couldn't let the prices go un-noticed. £2.49 for a beautifully scented, Appleliscious Glossy Lip-Balm? It had to be mine. It's also got a sheer, yet still pigmented payoff, so I was subsequently impressed, and SOLD! The shade I picked up was 356: Big Apple Red. 

Who failed to inform me that Accessorize had a line of really nicely pigmented eye shadow palettes?! I was thrilled to see these amazing, 32-Shade Palettes, and so I picked up the "Exposed" Palette. It was £6.95, and worth every penny, since the pigmentation is fabulous and the colours range from matte, to full on shimmer.

My last make-up purchase on the first trip to Superdrug was the Look Beauty Cheeky Trio. I was not leaving without a face contour kit of some description, so I picked this up, in the shade Candy-Floss (For Light Skin). It's very pigmented and soft, so I think it will be blendable and gorgeous on the cheeks. It comes with a peachy bronzer, a dusty rose-pink blush, and a champagne coloured, slightly shimmering highlight. The packaging, while plastic, does not feel even the slightest bit cheap. £8.00 for this very impressive, and compact trio. 

Finally, I knew from spending time on Superdrug's website, that they had a 4 for 3 offer on facemasks. Who was I to pass up such value?! I picked an Apricot Exfoliating Mask, a Dead Sea Purifying Clay Mask, a Purifying Cucumber Peek Off Mask, and a Fruit Sorbet Antioxidant Peel-Off Mask. I am dying to try each of these out, and I will review each one in detail. For £.99p each, but £3.00 in the offer, how could you go wrong?

After going from Superdrug, across the river to The Buttercrane, the first place I went was Sally's Salon Supplies. I did ask Chris, as we were walking over to the shopping centre to slap me if he saw me with nail polishes in my hands at any point, but I think he knew, when he saw my face after seeing China Glaze on sale in Sallys for £1.28 a bottle, that he knew better.

I picked up three crackle glazes, and one regular shade. The crackle glazes are Tarnished Gold, Crushed Candy, and Latticed Lilac. The plain shade is Elephant Walk. I adore all 4 polishes, even though I hardly even glanced at them before I paid for them. I have a problem.

Before we went home, I decided to get some last minute bits in Superdrug, so I went back over where the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's were on a 3 for 2 deal. I had noticed them when we were there the first time, but decided to leave them because I was trying to exercise rationality and have some sense. I think we can all agree I have none of those things, so when we went back over (Chris wanted to get some shaving stuff and the like) I nipped over, picked up 3 neutral shades and handed him the money, so we could pay together. 

The Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo's that I got were Timeless Black, Permanent Taupe, and Eternal Silver. Yum! 3 very "Me" shades, and very me prices!

All in all, I think I was very reserved in Superdrug, though I did go a bit blind in Sally's. I swear, I didn't see the shades, just the bargains.

This is only Part One of my Newry Haul, I also bought DVD's, a Book, Shoes, and clothes too, as well as a glorious handbag. Keep an eye out, It should be online tomorrow or the next day!

What do you think of my purchases? Do you think I went overboard? What is your favourite bargain in this haul?

Drop me a comment!!

Shopaholics of Ireland, Unite!!
Amy.
xoxo