Collective Beauty Haul

Budget beauty is my one weakness. I cannot fault a great product at a great price point that does a great job, and who would?! Some of the best brands have tiny price tags, and today, my picks have both of those attributes in spades.

Face packs are a weakness of mine, and some of my favorites are the Montagne Jeunesse 7th Heaven Mud range. I'm a huge fan of the Blemish Mud, which has been a firm favorite for almost a year, but I have never tried the Dead Sea Mud Pac, so I'm excited to see how it goes. For those of you who are Vegan and Cruelty Free, these masks are perfect for you! €1.80 a piece in Dunnes Stores nationwide!

Wet N Wild are a brand I've loved since they hit Irish shores, and since I attended the launch party last year, I had been eyeballing the MegaLast lipstick in the shade 24 Carrot Gold, a stunning orange shade. I have always been hesitant to try an orange lip, because it's quite a statement, and unlike a red lip, it's not terribly common. I bit the bullet, and for €2.99, it's a minor investment. When I try it, I will be sure to Instagram it! Also, from Wet N Wild I bought yet another nail polish from the MegaLast range in Private Viewing, which is a gorgeous pink nude. I'm super excited to try this polish, and who knows, perhaps I shall start a new love affair. At €2.99 a pop, it's not going to break the bank!

I picked up some bits from the PS Beauty range in Penney's, which is going from strength to strength! First I opted for the PS Matte translucent powder, which looks white in the pan, but is completely without pigment! I'm hoping it will replace my Catrice translucent powder, and at €2.50, if it does, it will be even better value! I also picked up two PS Pro Lip Liner Pens, in 03 Provocative Pink and 04 Midnight Crimson. The pigmentation of the swatches alone has me excited to try them and if they prove worthy, I'll be buying the others - who would blame me for €3.00 each?!

So there you have it, my collective beauty haul. All budget beauty, but who knows, maybe next time I'll pop some high end into the mix! 

Amy 

xx

Twitter // Snapchat: redlips_redhair

Look Luxe For Less!

If there's one thing I love it's a glossy manicure! I was a huge fan of gel nails for a long time, shellac was a love affair for a while, and then I became hooked on regular polish. Nails are one of those details that makes all the difference, if you ask me! With all that said, I am a budget babe at heart, and I pride myself on looking incredible for a tiny price, so read on, and learn how I get an expensive looking manicure for less!




What You Will Need:

• Penneys PS False Nails,
• Nail clipper, 
• Nail file, 
• Polish,
• Topcoat,
• Nail accessories (optional) 

Penneys nails are the backbone of this look, and my favorite are the PS 24 Fashion Nails that you can pick up for €1.50. I go with nude because it's easier to work with but it's all up to you. Fit and glue the right sizes to your natural nail, and then move on to the next step!

Using a nail clippers, clip the sharp tip off the falsie, and file the raw edge off it. The file I like best is the Essence Banana File, which is a double sided file with a rough grit side and a fine grit side. This takes the shape of the nail from claw to almond with ease, and is less than €3.

Next up, paint your nails with the polish of your choice, any color you fancy. Two thin coats are best for maximum pay off. Essence do great polishes, as do Wet N Wild, NYC and Rimmel. If you couldn't tell, I'm a fan of budget brands. For this look, I went with Essence Colour And Go in 113 Do You Speak Love? and NYC In A New York Minute in 002 Full Metal Jacket on the ring finger as an accent.

If you want to apply studs or diamante details, now is the time. Add a small dot of nail glue and apply them for the best possible adhesion. You can pick up nail accessory wheels in most Penneys for €1.50. Then it's topcoat time! I'm a huge fan of the Essence The Gel Nail Polish Top Coat, it's glossy and dries quickly and you can pick it up nationwide for €3.09

To finish the whole process, I apply a dab of Skinfix Hand Repair Cream* and massage it in to leave my hands looking and feeling wonderful.

This manicure looks so lush and expensive, it will prompt compliments from people who will be shocked and delighted when you tell them "Thanks, Penneys finest!!". If you try this mani, do please let me know! 

Amy

xx

Twitter // Snapchat: redips_redhair

*This post contains an iten sent to me for consideration by SkinFix, which I reviewed in a previous post.