I Can See Clearly Now... feat. Glasses Shop**

It's no secret at this point, if you've been following me for even five minutes, that I love being an eyeglasses wearer. I am a huge fan of glasses as accessories, as well as for correcting poor vision. This is why I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for glasses online - it's too expensive to be buying multiple pairs of specs in my local opticians.

One thing I really like is weird glasses, from over-size to floral to bright colors. The more odd and off-kilter, the more I love them! So this time around, when Glasses Shop got in touch and asked me if I would like to review a pair of glasses from their new range, I said "Heck yeah!!" and here we are!



I picked the Park Oval in the Crystal option - a matte, frosted but almost see-through frame. They're more understated than a lot of frames I own, which is part of the reason I like them! I can wear these with a slightly more dramatic makeup look and know they work together.

These frames are lightweight and flexible, as well as looking very chic on the face. I like to wear them with a light base, bold liner and a neutral lip, for an understated look, however as I mentioned earlier, I know they will stand up to a more bold, night-appropriate look too!

These frames are my favorite of every pair I own, and of the three pairs I own from Glasses Shop, they have been on my face every day since I got them, ousting every other pair AND my contact lenses to boot!

If you would like to get your own pair of amazing quality frames from Glasses Shop, I've been given a coupon code for you lovely readers! Use the code GSHOT50 to get 50% off your chosen frames and your scrip added to the frame for free!

TOP TIP!! 

If you've already got a pair of well fitting glasses from your local opticians, have a look inside the arms for the measurements, which will look like "50-20-145" and use this as a guide to help you pick a pair of correctly sized frames from Glasses Shop, which have every size and measurement noted on each listing! Handy!! 

What do you think of my new specs? Do you love them  or loathe them?? 

Let me know!! 

Amy 

xo

**Glasses Shop kindly provided these frames for free for review purposes but this post is all my own opinion and was in no way influenced by the Glasses Shop team. The links included are not affiliate links. **

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Youngblood Mineral Makeup Gift Set* REVIEW

Hey all! I was sent a lovely gift set of the Youngblood Mineral Makeup and originally I was going to include it in a gift guide post, but I loved it so much I decided to natter on about it for a dedicated post!

I was kindly gifted a gift set in Light, which contained four pots, one of which was a blush, a sample of a translucent powder, and a lovely soft flat top kabuki brush.

The mineral makeup from Youngblood is beautiful. It's finely milled, applies beautifully and lasts well. I quite like to wear it alone on a minimal makeup day, just to color correct my red spots, and even out my skin tone.

The kabuki brush supplied is meant to be used to apply it, but I found it shed fibers quite a bit, so I opted to use a large fluffy Real Techniques Powder Brush for the base, and the Real Techniques Blush Brush for the blush. It also allows you more control over the product density and buildable nature.

As well as wearing it completely alone, I also like to apply it with a light hand to bump up the coverage of a light to medium foundation, and so it usually takes the place of a setting powder, because as well as upping the coverage, it mattifies the skin, leaving just a light glow to the skin. No flat, zombie like bases here, girl!!

I was also kindly gifted a beautiful lipstick from the Intimatte Mineral Lipstick range, and I am pretty much in love. Not only is it a beautiful red, but the matte formula is comfortable to wear, non-drying and doesn't seem to feather. One swipe is all it took to get that fully opaque swatch and the same goes for the lips. I will say that it does catch in dry skin so it's worth exfoliating your lips before you wear this, but that's the thing with red lipstick, it's quite high maintenance!

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics are Cruelty Free and their products are affordable as well as great quality. What's not to love??

Keep an eye out in the next week for a GRWM featuring some of these products! 

Amy 

xo

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These products were kindly gifted for my consideration. All opinions are my own. 

Seventeen Stay Time 25hr Foundation REVIEW

Since I've started on my journey to going cruelty free with my makeup and skincare, I've been on the hunt for a new foundation. Foundation is hard to buy though, especially when you're a pasty pale princess, like moi. It's even harder to buy when you've got less options. Luckily, I've been getting recommendations off friends, and this time around I've opted to try my dearest Aoife's recommendation: Seventeen Stay Time 25hr Foundation.

Stay Time in Porcelain

This foundation retails for 9.00 in Boots, and I picked up the palest shade they had, which is Porcelain. It's always the same routine for me, just get the palest shade and pray it's actually pale.

I've been wearing it for a couple of weeks now, and I have some thoughts.

First of all, it's actually pale, and that's a huge point in its favor. I blend it down my neck and it looks lovely. The coverage is full, but not heavy, which I find can go along with other full coverage foundations. It applies well with either a beauty blender, or a flat top foundation brush, and dries down to a demi-matte finish. I powder lightly with a translucent powder, which mattifies it a little more without altering the coverage.

Full face with a Stay Time base

I find it lasts quite well, without getting too shiny. It doesn't seem to break down on any trouble spots, either! As for the 25 Hour thing? I cannot confirm, but it does wear well for a solid ten hours or more. I love it! Not bad considering you get change out of a tenner!!

All in all, I am very impressed with this foundation, and I'm going to repurchase this til I find something better, which could take a long while!!

Have you tried this foundation? 

Drop me a comment and let me know! 

Amy

xo

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Nivea Creme Care* Range Review

A few weeks back I was sent some products from the Nivea Creme Care range. Now, as I'm sure you all know, I am a massive Nivea fan, with over half of my products bearing the name. I have to say, this brand ticks all the boxes for me, from the price point, to the packaging, to the great job they do!

First up, I've got the Creme Care Cleansing Milk, which happened to arrive onto my desk at the opportune moment, since I've not yet managed to repurchase my staple 2 in 1 Cleanser And Toner. This cleansing milk is similar in consistency to the 2 in 1, and it smells similar too, but that's where it ends. This cleansing milk has left my skin feeling softer and more nourished. I follow up with the Daily Essentials Toner that I have as back up.

I found my skin feels more plump and looks nicer too, so much so that I've been heading out without makeup more often than not. On the days where I do wear makeup, I use this beforehand as a quick prep to remove any residue or build up from my skin, followed by moisturizer and my full makeup application.


In the evenings I take the bulk of my makeup off with a wipe, and some eye makeup remover for the sensitive eye contour area, and then follow up with Creme Care Cleansing Wash, which I was also very kindly gifted! I find the Creme Care Cleansing Wash incredibly gentle, but cleanses deeply enough that you feel a notable difference after a few uses. I take a little dab, maybe the size of a 20c coin or so on wet hands, and massage it into my skin, then I take a damp facecloth and rub my face in circular motions to thoroughly work the product into the skin. I rinse my face with warm water and pat my skin dry with a clean towel.

I'm really enjoying this range. it's cleansing and softening and makes my skin feel great both before and after makeup!

Have you any Nivea Skincare recommendations for me?

Amy 

xx

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Dex Does: Viviscal Scalp Serum*

Hey everyone. Today we have a brand new Dex Does. As I've said before, I don't edit his posts beyond spelling and punctuation here and there, so rest assured this is 100% undiluted Dexter! 

So where to start with this product, hmm I guess I'll start with me and my scalp/hair background to give ou an idea of what I was like before trying this product out. My scalp is NOT perfect in any sense of the word, I haven't been formally checked but I believe I have a mild eczema/skin-condition on my scalp from time to time. this irritation comes in the form of flakes falling from my scalp and getting caught in my hair for the world to see (sad face) and itchiness around my crown from time to time. I tried any number of products across all manner of shelves and never could find anything with permanent results. Eventually I progressed onto using, what for me was, the best thing of all time for my scalp. Anyone ever heard of it? It's 'nothing'. That's right, for about 8 months now i use absolutely no products in my hair to treat my scalp. The only thing I use regularly is gel for work to keep my man-fro under office-professional-looking wraps. Short and sweet is not using any products increased my scalp health tremendously and my hair too, it's never been any softer or stronger before now. I still get slight irritations from time to time but they are few and infrequent, que Viviscal into my life.

So, Red-Lips here asked me would I review this hair-product that got passed her way and I was trepidatious at first but after looking ta the product I said  'Sure!' because why not? truthfully I wanted to see if this no products test was really working for me and I figured if I could get something like Viviscal into my hair I could really test if I was just using all the wrong products before and had finally stumbled across the savior of scalp treatments. So we shall hop right into it.

Viviscal is a VERY pretty product, a little annoying to use in the shower (seriously who designed that bottle, you can't stand it anywhere. Who is that useful for? This annoys me far more than it should but talk about impractical.....anyways) but very pretty and comes in a very aesthetically pleasing box too. Nice colour scheme, the cream is a normal color too nothing usetting there. It smells nice too, kind of like what I imagine upmarket medicine of the hair product world smells like. Nice, clean, minty, and like it'll do magic for your affected area. So, so far so good on the looks department. 

Start reading about it. 100% drug free, okay that's actually a great point, some scalp treatments out there have some steroids in them or parabens or SLS/SLES in them that can have awful affects on you if you use them. Point for Viviscal, go you. 99% naturally derived products, another point for Viviscal. 25 years of research and backed by doctors (doesn't mean much to me, find it hard to find more than a couple studies of research for just this product as opposed to the whole range so I take this with a grain of salt). Few other advertising points you usually see, easy to apply non greasy etc. Quite a few success stories for it online and backing from people like Oscar blandi a well renowned salon owner. It's looking pretty good for Viviscal, I am sold on the product to try it out!

So I read the instructions and I think this should be clarified for people, this serum bottle  says that this bottle is a twice daily use product that requires 2/3 "pea sized" drops to cover most peoples hair. That is not accurate, I tried to, I REALLY tried to make 2/3 pea sized drops go over my scalp but believe after ten minutes of rubbing my scalp and my shoulders aching from the task i couldn't get the pea amount across half of of my scalp let alone the whole scalp. I tried it with wet hair and dry hair but I couldn't do it. Instead I upped the amount to a 'dollop' which just about did my whole head. It was easy enough to apply after that, still alot of working it into my scalp though which is unfortunate. As a commuter and morning gym goer I don't have an extra ten minutes in the morning on top of the rest of my routine to do this every morning in the changing room, so that was a real disappointment/frustration. It smelled nice enough when I used it if that matters to anyone. And the little bottle lasted me nearly the whole month too (maybe  around 4 days short of the full 30 days) so even though I used 'dollop' sized amounts it still lasted me nearly the whole month. Those are large peas Viviscal, very large peas. 

So my month was up of using it consistently everyday and my scalp is pretty okay I thought, good in fact. Thought I'd go back and write it up as a stellar success story but then I thought, maybe I'll give it a week and see how we go, let's see if my scalp stays healthy. And boy did it not stay healthy. Towards the middle of that very week my scalp was itchy like never before and flaking like it was trying to make up for the lack of snow at Christmas which was horribly embarrassing. My shedding rate increased every time I slept or brushed my hair. Luckily gel kept it mostly in place during the day at work and at home I just had to bear it and try not scratch my scalp clean off my skull. 

It took about 3/4 weeks but it finally got back to normal again and now it's not itchy anymore after no product use in it for near a month. So for this reason and experience I don't recommend Viviscal to anyone, I didn't see the benefit of it and in fact it only made my scalp worse. As an aside apparently Viviscal say you need to use this product for 3-6 months to see the benefit of it. That's €90-€180 worth of serum alone. If that's the case I'll stay with my free no product regime and continue how I'm going. It's working a treat so far with no set backs yet. Sorry Viviscal, you're pretty and you smell good and have good groundings too in your ingredients but you just didn't work for me. 

On another note, the last thought I'd like to put out is after many hours researching the product there does seem to be alot of genuine positive results from people across the globe about Viviscal. Particularly around the tablet treatments. If given the chance I might consider going for the tablet treatment myself. Maybe my scalp is just a senstivie prissy scalp and no product will ever be good enough for it but all I know is, it doesn't like this one. Sorry Viviscal, I really wanted it to work and all.

*Viviscal was sent for review purposes. 

It was sent to me (Amy) and I passed ot on to Dex. 

All opinions are his own. 

Skin Fixes With Skinfix*

Good morning, all!

"Treats and manages eczema, dermatitis and dry skin conditions"

Recently, I was sent some skincare stuff from Skinfix. SkinFix is a skincare company based out of Nova Scotia and they're coming to Boots!! Ahh!!! The whole range is fragrance free, suitable for people who suffer from eczema, dermatitis, and other skin issues.

Hand Repair Cream

This was the first product of the two that I tried. Since my forearms are tattooed as well as being the owner of two hands that are generally pretty horrendous looking, I applied this at night before I went to sleep, all the way up to my elbows, and when I would wake up in the morning, my hands were super soft. After showering, I would apply a small dab just to boost the moisture. After about a week I was aware of how soft my hands were, and after ten days or a fortnight the skin just above my cuticles was no longer split and sore.

I would happily give this to my mum and she has the most finicky, sensitive skin of anyone I know.

I found that this cream sinks in quickly, with no discernible scent (a fact I really enjoyed, because I don't get on well with fragrances in products in general), my hands weren't sticky and they weren't greasy either.

Final thought? This hand cream has literally fixed my hands. I'm repurchasing this as soon as it's empty.


Eczema Balm

The eczema balm from Skinfix was the product I was most excited to try, because I have horrid dry skin on my face, around my nostrils in particular. I dab on a reasonably thick layer of this balm every evening to combat it. The dry skin on my right nostril has completely gone, and the left side is clearing up rapidly. To say I'm impressed is an understatement. Honestly, I thought I would be dealing with the horrible cracked, dry skin on my nose until the weather got warmer, and who knows when that could be?! I have even put this on my lips before I start getting ready to go out as a super moisturising treat for my lips and it's left them so soft and supple I can't even begin to tell you!!

While I'm super impressed with the miracle this balm managed to work, I don't think it would be suitable for use every day as a daily moisturiser. It's very thick, sort of difficult to squeeze out of the tube if its cold. It's not too greasy, but it does leave a kind of silky feeling over the skin. This is part of my nightly routine now, because it leaves my dry patches looking and feeling so much better on the morning time!

This comes in a tube of 60g, which will last forever, with how little you need to use to treat problem areas. The back does say to apply generously, but honestly, less is more.

I am so excited for Skin Fix to hit shelves in my local Boots. There's a body lotion in the range I am dying to get my hands on!

Be sure to drop a comment if you enjoyed this review and let me know if you're going to try the range out for yourself! 

Amy x

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Skin Fix was kindly gifted to me for review purposes.

All opinions are my own. I wouldn't bother reviewing it otherwise. 

Mazeltov, Good Things!

"What?!" I hear you say, "Amy is actually doing a beauty review on her beauty blog?!"

Yes, yes I am! I'm going to talk about the Good Things...eh....things I picked up in TK Maxx recently. On both of these products I have to give honorable mentions to how stinkin' cute the packaging is! I love it!!!

Good Things Total Wipeout Cleansing Wipes. 

These wipes are kind of amazing! They are so so soft, like, so soft. I cannot stress enough how soft they are. They also smell incredible, since they have super-fruit extracts of raspberry and cranberry as well as Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. I was impressed by how good they smelled because normally you have to tolerate a certain amount of the icky chemically smell that comes with most wipes, but these are so fresh and fruity by comparison... You certainly don't have to tolerate any burning or itching or tightness from your skin afterwards. Since my skin is so sensitive I was really concerned, but I was incredibly surprised to find they didn't even make my skin the slightest bit pink despite being tough enough to take off a full face of makeup, including liquid liner. Result!!

There are 25 wipes in a pack and I picked mine up in TK Maxx for €2.99

Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask

Masks are something I love. I feel so indulgent when I use them. I picked this little gem up in TK Maxx as I thought a little treat was in order for myself and himself - he likes his skincare too, just as much as I do. When I saw that this was a brightening mask for dull, tired skin, I was sold. Since I work in a bakery where the air is dry and dusty, and he cycles to work and home every day, I thought this was perfect! So we both slathered it onto to clean faces, left it for a while (the tube says ten minutes but it was more like twenty), and then rinsed it off with warm water. I have to say my skin felt so clean and refreshed even from the first application that I was pretty taken aback. We both looked so much fresher and more alive, it was quite something. The brightening promised in this mask is aided by the extract of papaya and manuka honey helps to nourish the skin meaning you get more bang for your buck with this lovely tube of happiness.

There is a range of the Manuka Honey products from Good Things and I will be on the hunt for them to go along with this.

This mask is 100ml and it was €3.99 in TK Maxx.

So there you have it, I have nothing but good things to say about these Good Things offerings. 

Have you tried this range?

Let me know what I should try next!! 

XO 

A 

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Shemazing Soltan Face*

As a ginger lady, I have a plethora of SPF products in my possession. I even have specialised tattoo sun care. I am that paranoid, yes!

I had not been that familiar with Soltan, I mean, yes, I knew of the brand having seen it in Boots a good few times, but I never opted for it. I really don't know why, because I try to use SPF in some form all year round. Either in my foundation or my skincare. It's better than being a leather handbag when I'm 40! Honestly, I find it baffling why people don't look after their skin, even if "it's only Ireland".

Anyways, less of my ranting! I'm going to give you my thoughts on what I thought of the three Soltan Face Suncare Creams I was kindly sent by Shemazing and Soltan - the Dry Touch Face, BB Face and Sensitive Face.

BB Face:

The BB Face Cream I was sent was Light Medium, and it was the first time a BB Cream that said "light medium" was actually light enough for me! So that was an immediate point in its favor! I applied it to my skin, gently rubbed it in and it absorbed in less than two minutes - very impressive! Now, I almost always use BB Cream as an under my foundation "perfecting" step, but this one got to stand alone a few times. My skin felt matte, yet looked radiant. It didn't seem to oxidise on my skin, which I was delighted with, as that does happen with some BB's.

BB Face has the highest SPF at Factor 50, and I felt protected from the sun for most of the day!

Sensitive Face:

I trialled this for the longest, because I have incredibly sensitive skin, and I figured that it would be the one people would want to know most about.

First of all, the cream has no strong scent or pigment, it's marked as hypoallergenic which is wonderful, and it doesn't feel heavy or sticky on my skin. I find it a wee bit shiny, but in a similar vein to the BB Face, it's a radiant glow, not a greaseball thing. It didn't beak me out, it didn't make me come up in any irritated redness or anything like that at all, like I have had with some other brands of suncream.

Sensitive Face has an SPF of 30. I felt protected but still freckled which I like. That might not be your thing, but I really enjoyed it.

Dry Touch Face

I have to admit, I was a fair bit sceptical on this one. Non Greasy Sun Cream? Yeah, right! But actually I found it really good! If you were having a good skin day, and you just wanted a matte, protective base, Dry Touch Face is your only man! I think this particular sun cream is best suited to a no makeup day, where you want to look matte and perfected, maybe just with groomed brows and some mascara. Add a slick of a tinted lip balm and you're away! Protected and fabulous!

Dry Touch Face has an SPF of 30.

Overall, I thought the entire Soltan Range was very impressive, even managing to dispel some preconceived thoughts when it came to the BB and Dry Touch. I was delighted to find that the entire range was suitable for my skin, and worked well under makeup.

Will you be trying Soltan?

Let me know! 

xo, Amy

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Soltan and Shemazing kindly sent me these 3 samples for review. I am not being paid for or swayed in my opinions by either party. All thoughts are my own, and my words are my own, also! xx

A "Naked" Face With W7*

The good folks at Aqua PR and W7 sent me a few goodies to review this week. I've tested them all week and I'm here to report back. I was sent the Pore-fection Primer, Naked Nude shadow palette, Nude Kiss lipstick in Naughty Nude, and the Style Eyes clear brow gel.

The Pore-fection primer is a very close dupe for Benefit and their Porefessional.  The colour of the product, the consistency, the finish on the skin, even the long wearing nature of it stands up to Benefit. I've worn this under my foundation for days now and it's beautifully suited to even the most sensitive skin! You can wear this alone, wear it under BB Cream or under foundation, it's fab. As for longevity, I tested it at Zumba twice (Tuesday and Wednesday) and my foundation never moved. That's proof, this primer is a real winner! 

The Naked Nudes shadow palette has four very generously sized pans of light wearable shades. I blended all four together on the first day to see what kind of range I was working with, as you can see in the picture at the bottom. Mid-range pigment saturation mean the shades in this palette are buildable and blendable. If you want a contoured eye or a very light wash of colour, you're in safe hands. This palette is wonderful for neutral, simple and quick eye looks. If you work in a job where you need simple, quick, natural make-up, this is the palette for you. A perfect look for this would be for a very soft neutral eye, a 50's wing and red lips. 

Enter stage left, the Style Eyes Brow and Lash Shaping Gel. I wouldn't be inclined to use this on my lashes, but it's perfect for fixing your brows into place after pencilling them in or using brow powder. I'm really impressed with this Brow Gel because it fixes the brow hairs in place but not for one second does it make your brows all stiff and crunchy. I don't think those words are even in the collective vocabulary of the people at W7. 

The only product that didn't impress me, not for formulation or anything (it's well formulated, don't get me wrong) but for the shade, is the Nude Kiss lipstick in Naughty Nude. It's just a little too concealer-y in tone than I care for. With that said, it's creamy, moisturising and has a beautiful sheen. Perhaps if you have a warmer skin-tone than I do, this would suit you. As you can see in the picture below, it makes me look a bit washed out and frankly, a bit sickly looking. I tried everything to like it, I did! Maybe if I was tanned, it would go better!!

Finally, here's a look from the last few days, brows, base, shadow and lips all courtesy of W7! 

What do you think of these products?

Let me know! 

Amy 

xx

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**All products contained herein were sent to me by W7 and Aqua PR for consideration.**

**All opinions are my own**

Review - Mondss Underarm Wear*

Mondss!

When Jane McTernan contacted me about reviewing Mondss Underarm Wear, I was intriuged. 

At the time, I was after starting a new job and I thought they would be perfect to keep me fresh in the kitchens, where the heat, the sweat and the lack of comfort can be rife. When you sweat in a kitchen, you'd want to be sure your anti-perspirant is on point. So when these dropped through the letter box, I knew I was going to put them through one HELL of a trial, just to see what they are really made of. 

Mondss are shaped like a blunt wedge shape, with sticky adhesive all the way around bar a small section in the middle of each side to allow your armpit to bend. They are SO comfortable, they're soft and they are discreet. They lasted me for a whole afternoon the first time I used them... 

Now since they arrived I got let go from that job, so I've trialled them during a hardcore session in my own kitchen, where I have no whites to conceal the sweat and the potential for whiffy-ness. I used them last time I made a cake, which took 2 hours to bake and left the kitchen absolutely stifling, and meant I had to prep, cook, clean and finish all by myself. I wore a grey-marl Hobbit shirt, known for showing sweat stains and everything was perfect!! 

Last week I wore them to Zumba to see if they would be suitable for wearing in the gym, out running or for a general workout, and I'm pleased to report that they are as much suited to active-wear as they are to wearing to work or a party. Admittedly the extra movement encumbers the adhesive and means it wont last you a whole day but if you find you sweat like a beast in the gym, these are for you!! 

Check out Janes wonderful product at Mondss.com.
They retail for 9.99 and at the moment, if you buy 3 packs, you get free shipping! 

If you have tried Mondss, let me know how you got on!! 

Amy

xx

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*Sponsored post, all opinions are my own

Review - No 7 Quick Thinking Wipes

No.7 Wipes <3

Wipes are awful, yes I know, but I still find them good for taking off the bulk of your make-up before you go in with a proper cleansing routine.

Having been given the hard sell by the lady at the till in Boots one morning, I was sceptical but my scepticism was short lived. These wipes are part of the Beautiful Skin range, and having raved about the Hot Cloth Cleanser, I decided to give them a whirl! 

These wipes are SO good for breaking down the bulk of your make-up, even taking off lash glue and mascara with no hassle. They glide through foundation, blush, contour and eye-shadows with ease and don't burn or tighten the skin. They claim to be able to remove waterproof mascara, which they do and they also make short work of liquid liners too. 

Honestly I haven't found a wipe I like as much since the Skin Wisdom line from Tesco. 

These wipes are 9.25 for a packet of 30 in all Boots stores and they are worth every red cent. 

So ladies, what do you think? 

Amy 

xxx

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Review - Essence Frame4Fame Lashes

Natural looking false lashes... Not normally words I would expect to see all together, much less be typing out myself, but howsoever... 

Even in the package I can't get over them! <3

Essence are famed for their budget friendly, good quality make-up products. I have a few lipsticks, quite a lot of shadows, a couple of their brushes and practically every polish they have created in the last 2 years. It took a long time to wean me off their maximum definition mascara and even longer to get me away from their lovely eye-liners. 

You can imagine my trepidation seeing these lashes on their stand. The last time I saw Essence lashes, they were huge, thick, plastic looking monstrosities and I was damned if I would even risk the 3.49 they cost to see if they were or weren't as bad as they looked. 

I have to give mega snaps to the Frame4Fame 05 Natural Effect lashes because OMG they are SO GOOD and I wasn't expecting a whole heap. 

Essence, you really took me off guard. They're on a band so thin you cant even see it in the picture, and they're so lightweight they put my Eylure Cheryl falsies to shame. As well as all that, they add fullness and slight length to your natural lashes without ever giving away that you've got falsies on. How good is that?? 

To bolster my point, I applied these today to trial for day-to-day wear and even though Chris saw me apply them, he forgot they were there only to ask me about three to four hours later was I wearing false eyelashes. Result!! 

Also trying to get a picture of them for this blog post was tantamount to an impossibility because you just cant be sure they're not my real ones. I've added a picture to the right hand side here of me wearing the lashes, but I don't know how well you will be able to tell or not. 

All in all, these are super lightweight, comfortable, reusable and they are absolutely perfect for wearing during the day just to give the illusion of thick, lush, slightly lengthened lashes. And all with change from a fiver!!! Not too shabby, eh?! 

So ladies, will you be giving these lashes a go??

Let me know in the comments!! 

Amy 

xx

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Recommended to Red: Urban Decay Naked 3

Look at that tin!! 

Urban Decay are that brand of make-up that I am obsessed with, but also cannot justify spending a lot of money on. When you've bills to pay and a long distance relationship taking up your funds, you tend to gaze wistfully at while mumbling, "maybe at Christmas or for my birthday..."

Welp, no more!! I finally splashed out on the Naked 3, after reading review upon review, and watching countless video tutorials on YouTube, and oh boy, am I ever in love. 

I own and adore the Naked Basics, and while I was in Cork this past weekend, I found myself at the Urban Decay stand in Debenhams, debating on whether to buy the new Naked Basics 2 or the Naked 3, which I ordered last Christmas but got lost in the post. In my mind, I said, "Eff it, I'm worth it!!" and picked up the Naked 3. 

12 rosy-toned shadows, ranging from matte, to satin to glitter, encased in a beautiful, sturdy, rose gold tin. This beautiful palette comes with a double ended brush and four samples of the famed Urban Decay Primer Potion. 

To the left of the tin there are lighter shades: 
Strange; pearly pink-toned cream
Dust; rosy micro-glitter
Burnout; peachy-pink satin
Limit; light, pink toned brown/beige, matte finish

Then we have the Medium Shades:
Buzz; pink-tined brown shimmer
Trick; cool, rosy-copper
Nooner; medium pink-brown, matte.
Liar; rose-gold/mauve shimmer

The four Dark Shades
Factory; Pink/Brown satin finish
Mugshot; Metallic taupe with pink tones
Darkside: Deep taupe satin with mauve tones
Blackheart; Black with pinky red micro glitter


This palette has so many potential looks and uses, I cannot believe it took me ten months to get my hands on it. It's workable for day or night, any look from understated girly, to dramatic rock chick! 

You need this palette in your life, please don't leave it as long as I did!!

Amy 

xo

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The Mother of All Lip-Balms by Celtic Complexion

Recently I was sent a few lovely samples from Celtic Complexion, a small artisan skincare line run by Jennifer Devlin. Jennifer is a master esthetician and a long time sufferer of rosacea. Now, I don't have rosacea (thankfully), but I do have very sensitive, very picky skin and suffer terribly from dry lips.

Jennifer very kindly sent me a beautiful 5-pack sample bag along with a beautiful compact mirror which weighs more than I do, a testament to its quality. I was a bit over excited when the package arrived, so I don't have a picture of it all presented together, but I will include individual pictures as I go.

First up, the Peppermint and Lemongrass Lip Balm. This stuff is amazing and I can say that because I've been opting for it time and time again for the last month of my life.

So what's in it? 

The ingredients list is as follows:

• Beeswax
• Hempseed Oil
• Grapeseed Oil 
• Evening Primrose Oil
• Calendula Oil
• Comfrey Oil
• Vitamin E 
• Essential Oils
• Rosemary Extract
• and Cupuacu Butter

It tingles on my lips and I love that, it feels like it's really penetrating my lips and moisturising. It also smells amazing, AH MAZING!!! The packaging is simple and functional which just bolsters the fact that the product is 100% amazing and doesn't need to be in a spherical package to get you to like it - ahem, EOS!!

The finish of this lip balm isn't super glossy which means if you have long hair it wont get stuck in your lips by a passing breeze. I really thought nothing anyone put in front of me would top my EOS Balms, but boy oh boy was I wrong! Celtic Complexion came out of left field and totally knocked EOS out of the park. Not bad for a company that I knew absolutely nothing about last month.

The scent is beautiful and very unique within that. It's lemony, minty and smells slightly medicated also. I really like medically scented items because it reassures me that they are working below the surface and not just lying in your lips or skin or the like and pretending to help you. This hand-made, beautufully scented lip-balm actually works...

So there you have it; The first of my Celtic Complexion reviews. 

Be sure to check out my other reviews which will be posted in due course.
In the meantime, check out Jennifer and her amazing products HERE

xoxo

Amy

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Review - Kate Moss for Rimmel - Scandaleyes Rockin' Curves Mascara - 004 Jet Black

In our very generous goodie-bags at the #LLAMmeetup this past weekend, we were each gifted two beautiful mascaras, both from the Kate Moss for Rimmel Scandaleyes line. Mine came in 004 Jet Black and 004 Sapphire, and I was chuffed to bits by them!

I must admit to being dubious about this mascara on the whole because I had read some reviews of them and they hadn't been very forgiving. However, I went in with an open mind on Sunday morning, with my first use of the black mascara. I also checked out the Rimmel website and was very taken with the aesthetic of this line... Check it out! 

This may be the only time you want a broken heart!! 

Initially, the "Broken Heart" brush wand applicator had me a bit on the back foot. I was wondering what the deep curves were for, the very same ones that had been dubbed "wasteful of product" by many other bloggers across Ireland and the UK. I figured it out in two minutes and am totally in love.

The "Broken Heart" wand, tapered and undulating

The curves are there to aid the application of the wonderful product to each half of your lashes. With the narrow curve of the wand facing you, and the curve nearest the wand shaft curving outwards (away) from you, apply the mascara to the roots of your inner upper lashes and comb through. Then, flip the wand and use the wider side to do the same thing to your upper outer lashes.

Holding it flat like this helps with the second coat

You can then hold the wand so that you have a flat surface (on the side) and comb through again for an even application and a lifting effect. This is particularly good as I found that after I had done my inner and outer lashes on both eyes and went back to use the flat side for a second coat, that the mascara from the first application had dried slightly and this made the lifting effect more... effective? It helped! I liked it!!

I'm absolutely besotted by this mascara, and I think it may well be up there with my beloved Maybelline The Rocket Volume!! High praise, or what?! The only fault of this mascara is that it is in no way waterproof, but I suspect that you can get a waterproof version, should you so wish!!

You can pick this beauty up in Boots for €8.99

Do you think you'd be tempted by this divider of opinions? 

Drop me a comment, I'd love to know your thoughts!

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Amy 

xx

Review: Sleek Pout Paint - Pin Up

Hey beautiful people!!

As the name suggests, Red Lips are my thing in a big way! I love how effortlessly glam they are and how they can brighten your complexion, make you look younger yet more sophisticated and give you a boost in confidence! 

So when my Amazon order arrived on the 2nd, I was delighted to get my greedy little mitts on the Sleek Make Up Pout Paint in the glorious shade "Pin Up" a very retro red which I feel has a nice bluey-pink undertone.

Pout Paint, as the name suggests are very highly pigmented and easy to work with. The smallest little dab is all you need to make your lips look like they were plucked straight off a classic 50's poster. Absolutely effortless and very chic! It's no harder to carry a tube of Pout Paint and a lip brush than it is to carry a lipstick and a liner. 

I found it lasted well though eating was off the cards drinking did not alter the appearance of my lippie at all. It stood up to reapplication over the top of what was already there and was moisturising and glossy. Not one fault with the formula!

My one issue with it was I felt it bled outside of my lip line which is easily fixed with a swipe of a liner such as Essence Pinky Red or Isa Dora transparent Lip Fix. Certainly not fault enough for me to poo-poo the many positive attributes it has. 

At €5 a pop off Amazon, I will most certainly be getting more of these gorgeous babies in my life - and so should you!!

Amy

Xx  

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!!

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!

Making the Leap!!

As some of you may, or may not know, I've decided to make the leap into YouTube. Now, I'm not able to edit just yet, or do anything fancy, but I'm still putting myself out there and I will learn as I go along.

I won't be doing tutorials, because there are people out there VASTLY more qualified than I, so...I'll just leave it to them.

What I will be doing is uploading reviews and favorites and the like....

Here's my June/July "Things I'm Loving" Video!