Christmas Party Face of The Night

We're like a family. A mad, certifiable family who dance!! 

If you follow me on Twitter, read my blog, or know me at all, you'll know that I adore Zumba. I can't sing the praises of Zumba enough... As our instructor tells us, ZUMBA, ZUMBA, ZUMBA!!! But enough about the Latin inspired Dance Workout, this post is about my Christmas Party Make-Up!

I first exfoliated with Loreal Men Expert Exfoliator (yes, I know!!), ran a little of my Nivea 2 in 1 Cleanser and Toner (review) over my face with a cotton pad to take away any residue and then moisturised with my Garnier Pure Skin moisturiser. Starting on my base, I applied my W7 Prime Magic Anti Redness (review) with my fingers, applying it all over my face. I then took my Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation, dotted it all over my face and blended it in using my BCC F20 foundation brush. I took my Seventeen Phwoaar Paint Concealer around my nose and on any blemishes, and I used Maybelline Fit Me Concealer under my eyes in a triangle shape to highlight slightly and blended them both in with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.

To set my concealer in place, I took my BCC F15 Tapered Contour Brush and lightly dusted over Catrice Prime and Fine Translucent Loose Powder, just on the areas where there is concealer, I'll set the rest later as you'll see. To contour I used my Sleek Face Contour Kit in the lightest shade and contoured under my cheekbones, first using my BCC F30, and then buffed it out using my Real Techniques Contour Brush to get rid of any harsh lines.

Once I contoured under my cheekbones I went in with my RT Large Powder Brush and Set the rest of my make-up using Natural Collection Pressed Powder in Cool, making sure to blend my contour even more, to really give a natural yet sculpted look. For blush, I've opted for a rosy matte shade, using MUA Single Blush in Marshmallow and lightly swept that over my cheeks and towards my temples using my RT Blush Brush.

For brows, I've been going bold and using the 17 Brows That Kit and filling them in with my RT Brow Brush, then setting them in place with my W7 Brow Gel. Onto eye make-up- I primed my lids with my beloved Essence I Heart Stage, and whipped out my chosen palettes for the evening, W7's In The Buff Lightly Toasted, and In The Night. I followed a tutorial by The Makeup Chair on Aria Montgomery from Pretty Little Liars.

I took a Revlon Eyeliner in Aubergine, and ran it along my lashes, then using my BCC E23 brush, packed Laura E from ITN onto my lids from the inner corner to about 2/3 of the way over on the lid. Then taking Delilah from Lightly Toasted in the same brush, blended that onto the outer corner. Tp deepen the color. To blend the purple and brown shadows I used my BCC E32 brush. I went back to my ITN palette and used Bologna to smoke out the look. I added Dusty as an inner corner highlight and then added Catrice Liquid Liner to create a wing and Ardell Demi Wispies to complete the look.

To complete the whole look, I used my Essence Lip Liner in Femme Fatale, and Rimmel X Kate Moss in 01, with Revlon Moisture Stain in New York Scene over the top for some gloss.

So there you have it, my Zumba Christmas Party look, step by step!! 

Did you like it? 

Let me know in the comments! 

Amy

xx

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Conch Piercing; 1 Year On

Last year, on the 17th of December, I believe, I went to Dublin for my Christmas shopping and came home with the shopping and a fresh piercing. 

I got my Conch pierced. I won't beat around the bush, the piercing hurt being done, I yelped a bit when the needle went through. It is the thickest part of your ear so I should have expected it. When I came home, I cleaned it and it was throbbing but it wasn't painful any-more. My ear was red and angry for a few days but nothing I wasn't expecting, after all, I had just paid a lovely lady to push a 1.6mm tri-bevel hollow needle through my ear. It was mad at me. I understand!  It was agony to sleep on for 3 months or more, so I learned to sleep on my left side, which I still do even though my piercing is fully healed and doesn't hurt at all as I type this. 

A few months on (April) and I was growing weary of the little stainless steel ball in the hollow of my ear so I took myself off to Wildcat and picked up a black acrylic ball with white stars on it. I just wanted to have a nice top ball and the piercer said it wouldn't impede healing so I was happy as a clam. It hurt to sleep on for a bit but it was nowhere near as uncomfortable as the tiny ball was.

In July, I got my Arrow barbell and I adored it. I maintain my status as an archer, no matter what, I will go down swinging!! What better for an archer with an arrow tattoo to have a tiny silver arrow in her ear?! It was fabulous, until I wanted to change it. It wouldn't unscrew. For a few weeks it didn't bother me, but I knew something was up so once again, I took myself back to Wildcat to have them see what was up. Basically, I wound up having to have the whole thing pulled from my ear in two different directions and it SUCKED ASS SO HARD!!! I sobbed like a child, but the piercer was so cool she didn't judge at all, in fact she was amazing!! Back to a stainless steel barbell I went, replacement bar in tow in case I wanted to put the arrow back in a few weeks later. I didn't. I'll stick to my tattoo thanks!

Last month, I went to Baz Black (based in Dundalk), who would technically be my Boyfriends local piercing place, if Chris was pierced. I got Baz to switch out the bar, replacing it with a blue adonized Captive Bead Ring at 12mm diameter and 1.6mm in gauge. Having him change to the hoop - no bother at all, not a flinch or a twinge within a 10ft radius. Sleeping on it sucked for a fortnight and to be honest I thought about taking myself back up to Dundalk and getting Baz to swap it back again but I persevered and now it's perfect. The site of the piercing needed time to adjust to the curve, and now its absolutely perfect and it looks so bad-ass! 


Healing was a bit of a pain at times... It's had a pretty angry keloid on the back of my ear, which I drew out with Disprin pastes, and now its absolutely perfect, and healed really well after all the issues with the keloid. I cleaned it twice daily for 3 months, once a day for 3 months, and then every other day for 3 months, as well as applying tea tree oil with a cotton wool bud twice a week for the entire duration. I try not to touch it but the ring especially is easy to fiddle with. I still occasionally apply tea tree oil to the piercing and spray the whole thing with anti-bacterial spray by Easy Piercing just to be kind to it.

So 12 months on, and what's the verdict?

I wouldn't get the other Conch pierced, and probably will never venture into cartilage land whatsoever, but I would not change this conch ring for the world. I love it just as much as my tattoos, sometimes more. I'm all about tattoos, piercings are a longer more intricate commitment in terms of healing. You really have to be on the ball when you heal a piercing, there is a lot of scope for infections and rejection. I think I've learned enough about tattoos to know I'm happier healing fresh ink than a piercing. 

As cheezy as this is, I wanna say a big thank you to anyone who gave me advice or helped in any way when I was healing this bad boy! Sorcha at Wildcat Ink in Stephens Green, my lovely piercer, Dani in Dublin Ink for telling me about Disprin Pastes, Baz at Baz Black Piercing Dundalk for swapping out the bar for the CBR and various pierced friends for being dead sound when I had questions! 

Hope this post was helpful, 

Amy

xx

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