WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This will be my last post of 2014. I am taking a break from blogging over the Christmas but I will be back in 2015. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading and following. I also want to thank you for your kind comments throughout the year, it means so much to get positive feedback and the lovely compliments are always welcome.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FRIDAY STYLE: RE-WEARING THE PARTY LBD

You are probably wondering what I’m at. Only a few weeks ago I told you to be a bit more creative with your Christmas party outfit instead of buying the usual little black sparkly dress and now here I am with a post about a black dress with a bit of sparkly bling. Well I am actually proving my point. I fell in love with this dress last year and had to buy it. However, the only occasion that I felt it was appropriate for was New Year’s Eve. So this beautiful dress has sat in my wardrobe from that night till now. I figure a Christmas night out is the only other time it’s going to be appropriate. My office isn’t having a Christmas party but I am heading out for dinner and drinks with my husband this weekend to celebrate our 5th Wedding Anniversary, so this dress will finally get another outing.

The dress is by the brand Jaime La Vie and I bought it in Carraig Donn. It’s the details of this dress that make it stand out from other black dresses for me. I love the chunky jewelled neckline, which means less times wasted faffing around looking for the perfect necklace. I also like the panel down the middle with an embossed print. It adds a bit of interest and a lux effect. It’s also the perfect lady like length so that I can wear either bare legs or opaque tights. I always feel the need to wear opaque tights with shorter lengths.

Since I don’t have full on glitter ball shoes, my second choice is these green snake print shoes from Enzo Angiolini. I like these shoes along with the coincidentally matching Michael Kors clutch with black. I think they add a nice pop of colour to a black dress.

Are you rescuing any forgotten sparkly black dresses from the back of the wardrobe this weekend?

BENEFIT THEY’RE REAL! REVIEW AND PICTURES

I’ve wanted to try this mascara for ages now but just never got around to buying it. A while back I got a sample of Benefit’s Bad Gal mascara free with a magazine and I loved it. It gave both volume and length. I kept meaning to buy a full size of Bad Gal or Bad Gal Plum but a new mascara is released almost every five seconds so I kept being tempted by the new ones in search of the best mascara ever. I received this sample size of They’re Real in the Harvey Nichols Glossybox.

They’re Real certainly lengthens lashes, a lot! It also adds a bit of curl but not much volume so for me it’s not going to be my new favourite. I like it, I don’t love it. My lashes are kind of long already but they have blond tips so you can’t really see the length but any mascara will make them look long. I want full on volume for full on fluttery lashes. The extra length with They’re Real is nice though. The formula is easy to work with, one comb straight through and then a wiggle through are enough. Anymore and it starts to get a bit clumpy but it’s new so that might not be an issue when it dries out a bit.

I was loving the brush with its spiky tip, which I thought was brilliant for getting into the corners. You are supposed to use the tip to separate the lashes. I was getting along just fine until I poked myself in the eye with the spiky tip, now I’m not sure I like it anymore. I am a little uneasy with it now, but if you just be careful and don’t rush it won’t be a problem.

Here are the pictures, one comb straight through from root to tip and then a wiggle through.

Most of you will love the length this mascara gives but for me the search for volume and length together continues. The price for the full size is €26. Have you tried this yet? Is volume enough or do you want it all?

FESTIVE AND SPARKLY GOLD EYE LOOK

Christmas party season is in full swing and what better time to pack on the sparkle. Today’s eye look is gold and bit sparkly but sparkly in a grown up way. I don’t think it’s too over the top and it’s a look anyone can wear without looking like a disco ball. Gold eye shadow is a colour that suites all eye colours and will make the colour of your eyes really stand out.
Products used:

Kiko Longlasting Shadow Stick in Golden Beige
Lancôme Fil D’ Or Eye Shadow single
MAC Glimmer of Gold Quad (I used the dark gold and the lightest shade)
MAC Gilt by Association Mineralise Eye Shadow
Benefit They’re Real Mascara

 

First I used Kiko Golden Beige as a primer base all over lid and crease
Then I packed Fil D’Or all over the lid and into the crease, I also wet the tip of a MAC 219 brush and dipped it into the corner of the Fil D’ Or and lined my waterline with it.
Next I blended the dark gold from the MAC Glimmer of Gold quad into the crease
I then dipped the cleaned MAC 219 brush into MAC Gilt by Association and applied it to the crease and outer corner. I also lined my upper and lower lash lines with it.
I used the lightest shade in the MAC quad for an inner corner and under brow highlight.
Finally, I finished it all off with Benefit They’re Real Mascara.

I have kept this look soft by using the Gilt by Association to line my eyes. You could up the glamour factor with some false lashes and lining the top lashes with a liquid liner. You could also use a pencil on the lower lash line for more intense definition.

What’s your go to Christmas party eye look? Do you wear gold eye shadow?

FRIDAY STYLE: THE CHRISTMAS JUMPER

 

It’s that time of the year again and that can only mean one thing; the Christmas jumper night out. I am doing the Christmas jumper night out this weekend and I am trying to decide how to style it. Last year was easier because I had to go to a christening earlier so I just put the jumper on over what I was wearing. This year I am starting from scratch. The thing is I am going out, on a night out, in a jumper. I usually like to put a little effort into getting ready for a night out and this week should see the start of Christmas parties so everyone else will be wearing their glamorous party dresses. So I’m trying to decide if I should go all out, put on some tan, curl my hair and wear the jumper with a skirt, heels and a statement necklace or should I enjoy being low maintenance and relaxed and just wear the jumper with jeans and flats. At the moment I am thinking something in between might be the way to go.

 

So I’m thinking a basic white shirt underneath for a bit of smart interest (and in case the jumper makes me itchy), my distressed River Island jeans and my Dune courts (although these are very likely to be substituted because they are very high and uncomfortable but they look good in pictures).

The jumper is from Penneys and it lights up!!!! Penneys are donating €2 to Make-A-Wish Ireland for every full price Christmas jumper sold this week so not just a silly jumper but also supporting a good cause and I can feel smug looking at all the glamorous ladies in their sparkly dresses.

Are you doing the Christmas jumper night out? How will you be wearing your jumper; glamming it up or keeping it casual? More importantly, does your jumper light up?

HERBAL ESSENCES NEW CLEARLY NAKED SHINE COLLECTION: REVIEW

I think we all know by now that I am an absolute sucker for anything that smells pretty, so when I was sent the Shampoo, Conditioner and Shine Mist from Herbal Essences New Clearly Naked Shine Collection I was eager to get them on my head.

Herbal Essences have never been afraid of a bit of innuendo but the Clearly Naked refers to fact that the products in the range are free from parabens, silicones, or dyes. It promises to be “Full of all the essentials and nothing else, the lightweight formulas are designed to thoroughly cleanse while captivating the senses with heady aromas of fresh mint, grapefruit and white tea.”

There are three products in the Shine range, a shampoo, conditioner and shine mist, all containing white tea and mint extracts to combat dull and lifeless hair. After using all three my hair feels thoroughly clean with no oily residue. It’s also soft and well moisturised by the conditioner, it’s easy to comb through when it is still wet. I used the shine mist after drying to see if I could notice any difference and it does indeed make my hair shinier. My hair is left lightweight, bouncy, swishy and shiny. Best of all it smells gorgeous. What more could a girl ask for?

The price point is really good on these as well; the shampoo and conditioner are €3.09 for 200mls or €5.39 for 400mls. There are two other ranges in the collection; Volume to pump up flat hair and Moisture to repair damaged hair. Have you tried any of the Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Collection?

MAC SATIN LIPSTICK CAPTIVE: REVIEW AND PICTURES

Is there anything better than handing over six empty makeup packages and getting a shiny new lipstick for free? I wish other brands would do the same but I guess that’s part of the reason why a MAC counter on a Saturday is like the Hunger Games. My latest back to MAC lipstick is Captive.

There is a lot of love out there for matte lip products. I, myself prefer a bit of a glossy or shiny finish. I always feared that a matte lippy would be hard to wear. Your lips need to be in perfect condition, which is easier said than done in winter. In an attempt to ease myself into the matte lipstick frame of mind, I decided to try a satin finish as a baby step. The satin finish is not matte but its closer to matte than I am used to, there is still a bit of a subtle shine but it’s definitely not glossy.

While looking at the rows and rows of colours on the MAC stand, for some reason Captive caught my eye. I’m all about peaches and corals during summer but I prefer shades of plum and berry in the winter. Under the bright makeup counter lights it looked like a soft easy to wear plum. Now that I have it home it’s a bit darker than I first thought but it’s still a wearable shade for me. The MAC website describes it as a pinkish-plum; I would say more of a berry plum, not really pinkish. Wear time with this is much the same as all MAC regular line lipsticks. You get a few hours if you don’t eat or drink. It leaves a bit of a stain so no need to reapply too often. It feels comfortable on the lips but not as moisturising as a Lustre or Cremesheen finish but it’s not too drying either. So here are the pictures:

Do you have Captive? What is your favourite MAC lipstick? And are you a fan of matte lip products?

FRIDAY STYLE: CHRISTMAS PARTY INSPIRATION

I think most of us are guilty of the same thing, playing it safe and wearing a little black dress to the Christmas party. In fairness some of us find an LBD with a bit of sparkle but essentially it’s still a black dress. Look, the black dress is a handy, fail safe option and every woman should have one that they feel comfortable in, in their wardrobe. However, I find black can be a bit harsh for my colouring so I very rarely wear black from head to toe. Hopefully today I can give you a bit of inspiration for mixing it up a bit this year. I usually try to have a bit of colour on the top, especially around the neckline and close to my face. The easiest option is a skirt and top combo. Then you can wear the top over and over with different skirts or trousers and wear the skirt with different tops. Separates give you loads more options so you get more wear out of them. How many dresses have you in your wardrobe that you won’t wear again because you think everyone will recognise that you have worn it a few times before.

I picked this Villa top up in Carraig Donn recently. I love the sparkle detail at the shoulders and down the sides. The print is a soft and pretty pale pink, black and grey water colour style. This is perfect to add a bit of colour on top and you can still wear good old slimming black on your bottom half. Spoiler Alert! I also plan on wearing this top with my burgundy faux leather pencil skirt from River Island.

I know it’s all about the pencil skirt at the moment but I think the Christmas season requires lace for a night out. Nothing says Christmas like sparkles and lace so I’ve found a way to combine them both. I did a little sigh when I pulled this skirt out and realised it’s from Awear, oh how I miss Awear. There are similar skirts available in lots of other high street retailers, I’m pretty sure I saw something much the same on iclothing.com.

The necklace fills the gap where cleavage should be nicely. I picked this one up on holiday in Portugal but statement necklaces of every shape, size and colour are everywhere.

These shoes are from Menbur. They have a bit of sequins and sparkle but I think I need a pair of glitter shoes. You know the ones that look like they have been dunked into a bucket of glitter.

What do you plan on wearing to the Christmas party, an LBD or will you be going for a bit of colour?

NARS SATIN LIP PENCIL IN RIKUGIEN: REVIEW AND PICTURES

I got this sample 1.7g size NARS Satin Lip Pencil in the Harvey Nichols Glossybox, which I told you about on Monday. I was giddy with excitement as I picked through the box to see what was in it. When I saw the little NARS box I was hoping that what was inside would be a colour that I could actually wear. As soon as I opened it and saw the colour, it was love.

I do love makeup in the pencil form. For some reason I expected this NARS Satin Lip Pencil to be hard like a lip liner. However, it is actually very soft and creamy, more like a lipstick. The formula is soft and buttery. It glides on easily and is well pigmented. It lasts well compared to other lip pencil products. I didn’t see any colour transfer on my glass. It is comfortable to wear and moisturising on the lips. Rikugien is described as a rose pink on the NARS web site but there is a brown hint to it. I think it’s the perfect neutral lippy for me. It’s a my lips but better shade.
Here are the pictures:

(Before, After)

The full size pencils are €25 slightly more expensive than other lip pencils such as Clinique Chubby Sticks but I still want more. Have you tried any of the NARS Satin Lip Pencils?

GLOSSYBOX FOR HARVEY NICHOLS: THE CHRISTMAS EDIT

 

This is my first time purchasing from any of the beauty box subscriptions services. I love the idea behind them but I’ve heard such mixed reviews that I never felt they were worth the money. They all seem to start off great but then as the months go on the products seem to get less and less interesting. However, when a few people tweeted the link to preregister to buy the Harvey Nichols Glossybox, I had to check it out; I mean its Harvey Nichols. I didn’t realise that I could just purchase the one box, I had always thought you had to sign up to a subscription of a few months. So I will definitely be keeping an eye out for special edition boxes in the future. I didn’t want to do too much research on this box because I wanted to be surprised and since its Harvey Nichols I figured all the products would be quality. One quick glimpse at the picture on their web site and I saw the bands Laura Mercier and NARS and I was sold.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Here is a rundown of what’s in the box:

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – I was really excited about this because I have recently purchased the Smooth-Finish Flawless Fluid foundation. I have used this primer with the foundation twice now and they are great together so this may get a full review. It’s a decent 30ml size; the full size is 50ml.
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream – I have always wanted to try Elemis products but they are so expensive. Hopefully I don’t fall in love with this because the 50ml size is about €100 but I am certainly going to enjoy the luxury of using my 15ml sample.
Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum – ok so the bottle inside the box is actually tiny but you only use a few drops at night time so a little should go a long way. I’ve liked every Dermalogica product that I’ve tried so I have high hopes for this.
Rodial Bee Venom Moisturiser – another expensive brand that I haven’t really tried anything from before so this should be interesting.
Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Mascara – I’ve been meaning to try this for ages because I really like Bad Gal Mascara.
Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment – I do love a good hair treatment so I can’t wait to try this.
OPI Avoplex Moisture Replenishing Lotion – this is a massive 120ml bottle so I am really excited about this.
NARS Satin Lip Pencil – of course I had to put this on as soon as I opened it and I love it. I have a funny feeling I will be getting some more of these, but this colour is lovely. This is definitely getting its own post.
La Coupe Coconut and Macadamia Oil – another hair treatment so my hair should be looking fabulous for Christmas nights out.
Show Beauty Lux Volume Mist – I can’t wait to try this, I hope it gives me massive hair and the bottle is a full size 150ml.
And Finally the Harvey Nichols Mini Scented Candle – the scent of this is gorgeous.

I have to say I am really impressed with the contents of this box and it was definitely worth the price which converts to €49.73 including shipping. Two of my friends who also purchased this box didn’t receive the Laura Mercier Primer in their box. They both emailed Glossybox but haven’t heard back yet so hopefully it is sent on to them. I don’t think I would sign up for a subscription but I will be checking out the special edition boxes for one off purchases.