Una Brennan Cleanser- Review.

 

 

Despite the fact I've already mentioned this cleanser over on my You Tube channel- I haven't reviewed it yet here on my blog. So here it is, my review of the Super Facialist by Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser (woah that was a mouthful).
I have previously reviewed her Tea Tree Clay mask and have been using the Neroli Eye Cream for almost five months now- so its safe to say that I'm already a big fan of this range, and of course this cleanser doesn't disappoint.

How do I use it? For removing my makeup I use my Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil, I use this in the evening to get rid of that first layer of makeup on my skin. Then I like to go in with my Una Brennan cleanser to remove any last traces of makeup and thoroughly cleanse the skin. I also use this in the morning to get rid of any dirt or build up before applying makeup.  For both morning and night I use a hot water and a flannel to remove this cleanser- which also exfoliates the skin gently.

Like the other Una Brennan products this is leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh without leaving that tight, stripped feeling afterwards. Instead, my face is soft and plump after use. Some people may be put off by the scent- it smells very strongly of roses, an absolute bonus in my books! I don't find that this irritates my skin because of the scent, its actually very gentle.

Sometimes, if I have a lot of time in the evening I like to really work this into my skin, almost like a mini-facial. I find that if you massage this enough into the skin it changes to an almost oil-like consistency.



If you're on the hunt for a simple cleanser that won't break the bank and does exactly what it says on the tin- this is the one for you! I picked mine up in Boots when they were 1/3 off- this offer seems to be on quite frequently so keep your eyes peeled!

My Winter Essentials- Videos.

I recently started a little mini-series over on my YouTube channel all about my Winter Essentials! I've divided it up into Skincare and Make-up so far, discussing all the things I think are must-haves for this time of year, whether its to make yourself feel festive or how to look after your skin in the colder months! Make sure you pop over to my channel Crumpets and Marmalade to check them out and subscribe!

Young Blood Makeup- The Review.

As some of you may remember a few weeks ago I attended the launch of Young Blood cosmetics here in Ireland, I blogged and filmed the event as well as giving my initial reactions to the products and the brand. So as I've been testing out the samples I'm now back with some more detailed reviews of the two stand out products I'm loving.

First up is the Mineral Primer- however before I go into this it must be said that I have never been a primer girl- shock horror! This has always been a step I've skipped, and I never thought it was worth spending money on primers. Unusually enough, this is the product I was the most excited to try as I wanted to see if it really did get my makeup to stay in place all day.This primer is paraben free and naturally rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals- like all Young Blood products they are good for your skin don't clog up those pesky pores.
So what did I think of it? To be perfectly honest I haven't found this as life-changing as I thought it would be, if I use this and skip powder I find that it does make my makeup stay in place that bit longer than if I just went straight for foundation. Areas like my chin, forehead and nose are places where I get quite oily throughout the day and where my make-up always rubs off first- and I didn't find that this made a huge difference in my makeup's lasting power in those areas. However, places where I'm not greasy it did work really well. I have found that my under eye concealer lasts that bit longer, as well as my blusher retaining its vibrancy throughout the day! The other lovely thing about this product is that it makes your base smooth and easy to apply makeup to especially over any areas where I have a breakout. Foundation just glides on over spot-prone areas without clinging to dry skin as the primer creates a smooth and even barrier.

The other Young Blood product I've been really loving is the Mineral Rice Setting Powder- which I mentioned in my previous Young Blood post and video! I love this stuff. Its so fine and light that it doesn't leave your skin loking cakey and heavily powdered, instead it almost imparts a sort of luminescence to the skin without containing any glitter. It gives the skin a beautiful velvet-matte look that's very on-trend this Autumn/Winter and is a look I personally love.

Mineral cosmetic is never something I was particularly interested in before- but I'm definitely converted! Young Blood are now available to buy online via the Closer2Fabulous store: http://closer2fabulous.ie/?product_cat=youngblood-makeup

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks Review.

So a while ago now I managed to get my hands on some of Rimmel's new lipstick offerings. Apparently the Moisture Renew range has ben around for some time- however I've never tried any of them. Rimmel recently updated the range, adding new shades and changing the formula of the lipsticks slightly- they are now even more moisturising.

There was such a huge variety of colours to choose from but I went for three of their new shades!
From left to right we have;

Glam Plum Fulham; A gorgeous berry shade. Anyone who follows me here or on YouTube will know my love for dark-berry toned lipsticks. This is the most recent one I've added to my ever growing purple lipstick collection- and I love it! Its darker than MAC's Plumful but more purple than Rebel which is more of a blackcurrant shade. On me it is a really vampy-dark purple colour that's perfect for this time of year- how I love dark evenings paired with an even darker lip.

In Love With Ginger; First of all can we just take a moment to appreciate the fabulous name of this lipstick? If I just heard the name and hadn't seen the colour it would be enough for me to buy it immediately! Lucky for me this is another beautiful colour- many bloggers are dubbing it a MAC Morange dupe. I have never owned Morange- but have always admired it from a distance on others- I always felt on my skin tone it would make me look pasty and ill. How wrong I was! This is my favourite colour from the bunch as it is so vibrant and really brightens up my skin tone However, I do need that little bit more blusher when I wear it to stop things getting too pale looking.

As You Want Victoria; Another great lipstick with another great name! This is the one that is least like me to buy as hot pink just isn't my thing. However, I am having a bit of a love affair with this lipstick- even if that only means staring at it...  Here's hoping that I will be  brave enough to wear this more often than all the other pinks which are so neglected in my make-up stash. As you can see from the pictures this is a really vibrant reddy-pink which would suit any skin tone!

Overall I have to say that these lipsticks have really impressed me, the formula reminds me a lot of a MAC Crème Sheens which are very moisturising- the Rimmel ones however are slightly more glossy. The pigmentation is great, they are so vibrant and long-lasting on the lips. The only real problem is that they are very easy to smudge making them quite messy when eating/drinking- but as long as you are aware of this its not too bad, you just need to be careful! I like to wear mine blotted down with a tissue to get a slightly more matte effect!


For more on these lipsticks, or to see them on me, I recently did a First Impressions video over on my YouTube channel so go check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7luO6PRT5yc

October Favourites I Crumpets and Marmalade

http://www.youtube.com/v/LoKORnA02Lk?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=gMv4j16EUjMmBz1CTUoGvA



Have you guys seen my October Favourites yet?
Head on over to my You Tube channel to see what I've been loving over the last month!

Young Blood Cosmetics Launch

Last week I was invited along to the launch of Young Blood Cosmetics- this is an American brand that's already huge in the U.S and is now launching in the U.K and Ireland!
Now I've been living in Dublin nearly all my life but embarrassingly enough myself and my friend took about half an hour trying to find the Closer2Fabulous Studio where the event was held! I thought that the studio was such a lovely place to hold a function like this as it wasn't too big- this combined with the cosy décor created a really un-imposing and relaxed environment for the launch.

 

 

 

 

The launch included a 30 minute make-up tutorial from Philip Luque- one of Young Blood's leading make-up artists. This was so interesting as we got to see all the products in action as he talked us through what he was doing. He created a beautiful deep midnight blue smokey eye that I would never normally try, but now feel inspired to do so! For me personally, I have never used a mineral foundation so getting to see the correct techniques on how to apply one was really helpful. Philip Luque was so entertaining and also very knowledgeable about the brand. Pauline Youngblood originally set up the brand as a result of her own skin problems- she suffered with acne and wanted make-up that wouldn't clog pores or be bad for your skin. All of Young Blood's products are talc free and don't clog pores.

 

 

After the demonstration one of  Young Blood's Irish make-up artists tried some of the mineral foundation on me, I was so surprised- I loved it! I have quite dry skin so would have never dreamed of applying a mineral powder foundation but I really like how it looked. I was already wearing my Mac Studio Fix Fluid foundation so I already had a lot of coverage. The finish of the mineral foundation was beautiful, incredibly glowy for a powder with an almost HD/Photoshop effect to the skin.

 

 

Overall, I found the event extremely informative and interesting. We were all lucky enough to receive a goodie-bag afterwards with some products for us to sample, so far I'm loving the Mineral Rice powder (the finest/least cakey setting powder I've ever used!) and the Mineral Primer. However, I will be doing a more detailed review of these products on my blog over the next few weeks!

 

 

 

If you want to see more about the Young Blood launch check out my You Tube channel:

 

 

 

 

The Balm Nude 'Tude Eyeshadow Palette- Review.

So I have a little confession to make.....I've been cheating on my beloved Naked Palette, shhhh don't tell! I've been using Urban Decay's staple palette for over three years now (I'm on my second one!) and I love it. However, recently I've found that I'm reaching for The Balm's Nude 'Tude* palette that bit more....and here's why;



Particular favourites for me are;

Silly- a gorgeous colour for a dramatic smokey eye- as its  a dark brown with lots of gold glitter!
Seductive- a beautiful, very warm toned bronzey gold.
Stand-offish- a lovely salmon pink/champagne colour that looks great in the inner corners or all over the lid.
Sultry- a warm toned matte brown that look perfect blended into the crease.
Sexy- a red toned brown that I thought would be more like Mac Cranberry, but is still a gorgeous colour. A nice one for a rich smokey brown eye.

The other colours are lovely as well, these are just my particular favourites at the moment! I still need to experiment a bit more with this palette as I think there are so many looks you could achieve with it! Its great for travelling as its a nice thin palette and you can get both everyday looks and more dramatic evening eyes with just the one palette. Its also worth noting that the shades are super pigmented but do have some fall out much like the Urban Decay ones so leave your concealer until last when using the darker shades.





*PR SAMPLE

The Casual Vacancy Review.

So its been a long 'aul while since I uploaded anything book related and I thought I'd start doing some more book reviews!
First up is The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowling.
Hope you enjoy. X

Whats in my Bag #1 I Crumpets and Marmalade

So last week we saw me rooting through my bin in an Empties Video- and this week is me rooting through my handbag! I hope you enjoy seeing what crap I lug around with me on a daily basis, I know I do!
 H x

Prisoners- Film Review

Now, if I'm being completely honest I wasn't overly bothered about going to see Prisoners, although being a huge Criminal Minds fan it did look like something I'd like. Despite this, I ended up sitting in the cinema munching away on my popcorn watching this for two reasons; A: my boyfriend really wanted to see it (and it was his turn to choose the film) and B: Jake Gyllenhaal (need I elaborate?).

I ended up seriously enjoying this film, it far exceeded my expectations. As I already said it does appeal to fans of shows like Criminal Minds (can you tell I love it?) in the sense that its a lets-solve-the-case story. However, it is so much more than that- the film is about two children who go missing. We watch the search of these children unfold from the perspective of the lead investigator on the case, Loki (Gyllenhaal) and the children's parents- mostly Keller (Hugh Jackman). Firstly, this was a real stellar cast and the acting from both was incredible. The characters are incredibly frustrated and desperate in their search and they portray this throughout the film with subtlety on Gyllenhaal's part (with one desk-smashing exception) and with violent outbursts from Jackman. However, both these portrayals although different are both believable and emotional to watch.

Now any other Criminal Minds fans out there (I know again!) will understand the agonising tension of some particularly well crafted episodes, Prisoners was on another level. Described as a dark, suspenseful thriller it really does- excuse the cliché- leave you on the edge of your seat. My boyfriend found me particularly amusing fidgeting around and hopping up and down on my seat for the later parts of the film. To me, this just showed how emotionally involved with the film I was- it really is one to suck you in, whilst filling you with a sense of dread throughout.

Overall, I found that it was quite a long film, with perhaps a slight lull in the middle, but it was never boring. I haven't said too much about the plot as its difficult to do so without giving away too much of the story! What I can say is that there are plenty of twists and red herrings to keep you guessing and elements of the film will make you question what we call justice. The ending, is great in my opinion-lots of people have criticised it- it doesn't tie everything up too neatly and isn't overly sentimental which it easily could have been. Its an intense and emotional film that I would highly recommend anyone to see!

P.S. The only thing that would make this film completely perfect is of course Shemar Moore. ;)

Empties Video #1

My first Empties Video! These are all the skincare and makeup items I've used up recently. Hope you enjoy! X

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer Review

It seems almost strange to write a review on this concealer as I feel like I've made my feelings for it quite obvious over on my You Tube channel! Also, this concealer gets so many rave reviews all over the internet that it seems almost redundant to write another review on it.

Despite this, I thought that this concealer deserves yet another review as it really is an amazing product.  The best bit about the Lasting Perfection Concealer is the shade, us pale gals find it uber difficult to get a high street/ high end concealer that isn't too orange in colour. As far as I know they only have three colours in their shade range and I wear 1-Fair. This is a perfect match for my very pale skin and I find it blends in perfectly, even around my jawline without looking too dark.
It's also got the most fantastic coverage and is my go to product when I have a breakout as it covers redness really well. Its thick and creamy making it easy to blend into the skin seamlessly.

The only downside to this product is that things can get a bit cakey and heavy if you put too much on. I've found that less is more and I like to blend it out with the warmth of my index finger to make things as light and smooth as possible.
Due to its heaviness I don't find it great under my eyes as it can look too thick for the delicate eye area and settles in any fine lines I have. Other than that this is a holy grail product for me that I can't live without, and at around €6/7 it's an absolute bargain!

The Balm Blushers- Review.

 Left- Frat Boy Blusher. Right- Down Boy Blusher.

Anyone who has watched my most recent video will know that The Balm Cosmetics were kind enough to send me some make-up to review. Along with numerous other bits they were very generous and sent me three of their blushers!
First up is Frat Boy*- the one I've heard the most about here in the blogging and You Tubing world- clearly for a reason. It's such a gorgeous shade- a lovely peachy pink that adds a really natural flush to your cheeks. This is definitely  my favourite of the bunch!
Next is Down Boy*, the brighter of the two. A lovely girly pink that looks really great swept onto cheeks for a pretty and fresh look.

Lastly is Hot Mama*- definitely my favourite packaging! This colour is gorgeous- my Mum has stolen it off me already! A kind of a mixture of the other two shades but with an added bit of golden shimmer that adds some colour and a sheen to the skin. This one really reminds me of Nars Orgasm.


From using all three of these for the past week I can say that they are now firm favourites for me, they are super pigmented so a little goes a long way, I can see these lasting me for ages! Also, they have surprisingly long lasting power on the cheeks- something I've never had with my MAC or Sleek blushers, I've always needed midday top ups with those! These blushers can also be used as eyeshadows, I think Hot Mama would look particularly good on the eyes blended in with a dark grey!

If you want to try these for yourself- go online at Feel Unique, Koan UK and Amazon. Or check out The Balm's entire range at http://www.thebalm.com/



*PR Samples.

The Balm Cosmetics First Impressions!

The lovely people over at The Balm cosmetics sent me some products to try out! This video is my first impressions of the products and a way for you to see them in action. Make sure to check back on here over the next few weeks for some more detailed reviews! Enjoy! X

Una Brennan Super Facialist Face Mask

Another product review for you guys, and today its the Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask, bit of a mouthful, huh?
 I love love love this product. To be perfectly honest I never really used to bother with face masks- I'd do the occasional one with friends or a long time ago I used to make my own! However, I never religiously used one-until I got this. if you've watched my recent haul video I've already talked a bit about this, but basically my skins gone a bit haywire recently. I've had a lot of breakouts and they've been fairly consistent over the past few months. So I decided that my skin needed something to give it a lil' boost to clear everything up and I picked this up.
 I've been using it for about three weeks now and it seems to be working! It contains salicylic acid and loads of other ingredients good at clearing up problem areas and it has definitely helped! I like the fact that its a clay mask so its very thick and dries rock solid on your face- it also makes your skin tingle which is quite nice as it feels like its really doing something.

I'm really impressed with everything I've tried from this range so far and can't wait to try the creamy cleanser!

Fashion & Beauty Haul I Crumpets and Marmalade

If you haven't already seen it, here's my latest video! A haul of all my favourite fashion and beauty buys over the last few months. I've decided that I'm going to be filming a lot more now so expect to see a lot more videos! Enjoy! X

Bourjois Healthy Mix Correcting Concealer

This Bourjois concealer is a re-discovery for me. I used to love this concealer and then I discovered Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer which kind of took over! However, recently I've found that its a bit too heavy for under my eyes and went on the hunt for something else. So what's so good about it? Firstly its super thick and creamy which makes it great at covering dark circles under my eyes without being too dry. Oddly enough it also smells amazing! It has a fruity-raspberry scent to it but it doesn't irritate my skin.
The only downside to this concealer is that the lightest shade is just that bit too dark for me, I have the lightest shade- 51 Light Radiance.
Next up- I need to try the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation - I hope its a better match to my skin tone as it gets such amazing reviews!

About Time - Film Review

Another weekend, and yet another Rom-Com hits the silver screen. However, something about this particular film caught my eye- perhaps the relatively unknown Domhnall Gleeson cast alongside Rom-Com-Queen Rachel McAdams gave me hope that maybe this was a little different from the rest.

This film wasn't what I expected, I presumed it would be a typical boy-meets-girl, they fall madly in love and everything falls apart only for him to win her back at the end. How wrong I was, of course we have the boy-meets-girl and falls madly in love part but that's really as far as their relationship develops in the film. The really interesting bit is Tim's (Domhnall Gleeson) ability to time travel, along with all the other men in his family. This adds plenty of amusement to the film as Tim gets the unique opportunity to fuck situations up quite spectacularly and then gets to go back and fix his mistakes. Domhnall Gleeson is excellent in these horribly awkward and cringe-worthy situations, and its refreshing to see someone other than Hugh Grant in a British romantic comedy!

For me, this film was more about Tim and his relationship with his wonderfully quirky and eccentric family, Bill Nighy as Tim's Dad is a particular gem! It makes for a really heart-warming story that by the end has veered into more of a Father-Son relationship than romantic Rom-Com. If you haven't already seen it I would strongly advise that you do, just don't get too caught up in the ins-and-outs of Tim's time travelling abilities. This isn't Back to the Future so don't expect many space time continuum rules to apply here!

A really great date night movie that even your boyfriend will enjoy as it never gets too slushy and at times is really hilarious, or just a fun film to see with the girls!

Hightsreet/Drugstore Beauty Buys.

 

 

Its my little sister's birthday this week, which also coincided with her running out of almost all her makeup- does anyone else get that mascara, foundation and concealer all love to run out at the same time? So being the lovely sister that I am I decided to get her some of the make-up bits she needed. Concealer is something she already had, as well as her Naked palette from Urban Decay so these weren't necessary.
So here's what I picked up in Boots;

No7 Instant Radiance Foundation.
I was wearing this foundation earlier on this year and really liked it. My sister previously had the matte version of this which she picked up by accident, I got her the Instant Radiance this time around as now we are coming into the Winter months our skin needs that extra bit of glow! Shade- Calico.

Rimmel Max Volume Flash Mascara.
I picked this up quite randomly, just knowing that mascara was one of the things she needed. A lot of the mascaras I looked at had the plastic comb applicator which I know she hates. I'm not sure how good this one is (I'm still waiting on her review!) but I mostly got it because it had a fat brush applicator.

Seventeen Skin Wow! Three Way Highlighter.
This is something I am definitely going to go back for myself, my friend who was with me in Boots suggested this as she loves it. It can be used underneath foundation as a luminescent primer, blended onto cheekbones for a nice bit of glow or even mixed in with a pump of foundation for an all over sheen. For roughly €4 I couldn't believe how lovely this product was, super pearlescent and pigmented. My sister always steals my Lush Feeling Younger cream highlighter so I knew she would be a fan of this!

No7 Stay Perfect Lip Stain.
This was another product I immediately wanted myself after I swatched it on the back of my hand! My sister is a huge fan of lip stains as they last pretty much all day with minimum touch ups. However, her Rimmel lip stain was looking incredibly worse for wear (I dread to think how long she's had it for)- so I picked her up a new one. I had intended to grab another Rimmel one but these No7 versions caught my eye, I think they're quite new to the range? I got her the shade Ballet which is a gorgeous deep berry colour and is lovely for the colder months- they also come with a sheer lip balm at the opposite end to stop the stain from drying out your lips too much.

I also got her a new make-up bag- only €3.50 from Pennys/Primark!

Dr Martens.

Dr Martens are definitely a Marmite shoe- you love 'em or hate 'em. Personally, I love them-its been a while since I last wore a pair (the only ones I own are covered in flowers-big mistake). I've been coveting these low rise ones for a while now and finally decided to get a pair! They literally go with everything- I've been pairing them with thin black tights and rolled down white socks- definitely a schoolgirl-esque vibe but I like how it looks. They look great worn with girly dresses as it really offsets how clunky they are.
They do set you back a fair bit of cash but they really are worth every penny as they will last you for years. I picked mine up in Office where they were around €110/115 and with a student discount I got them for €96. They have them in loads of different styles-I also have my eye on the burgundy pair!

New MAC Lippies

 

As you can see I have recently acquired some new MAC lipsticks. I'm quite a sucker for the MAC lipstick counter and can spend a rather long time swatching every colour under the sun on the back of my hand.
First of these two lovely lippies is MAC's Lady Danger- I have wanted this lipstick for SO LONG. I already own MAC Red and Ruby Woo and for a long time convinced myself that I didn't need another red lipstick. However, when I was on holidays I decided that what the hell, I really do need this lipstick in my life! I'm so glad I did make this spontaneous purchase as its such a gorgeous colour. A really vibrant orangey-red, unlike Ruby Woo's blue toned red, it really packs a punch on the lips. I like to think its quite a quirky colour and that it really stands out against my pale skin. Another huge bonus is that its a matte lipstick, which I love. I hate re-applying constantly and with MAC's Matte range there really is no need, they have some seriously good staying power!

Top- Lady Danger. Bottom- Plumful.

 Another new addition is MAC's Plumful. This is a shade I've also had my eye on for a while- any followers of Essie Button will know she is a huge fan of this shade, and after hearing her rave about it I swatched it for myself- alas it was love! Not my usual go to colour as it is quite muted for me (I do love a red lip) however I've found it to be so nice as an everyday colour. Bought for me by my two best friends as a graduation present I don't feel too guilty that I have yet another lipstick in my collection- especially as I know I shall get so much wear out of it! The formulation is a Lustre which is something I would never usually go for- its quite sheer and creamy with a slight shimmer to it. Normally this would be a no-no for me, but in this particular shade I love it! The lasting power isn't quite there but I think this may be that I'm more used to MAC's matte formula.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Review

In the past I have never been a fan of MAC foundations, for two reasons. Firstly, the shade range- Oompa Loompa was the only option for me unfortunately! Secondly, the smell. Does anyone else get that distinctively paint like smell from MAC foundations or is it just me?

On a recent holiday I decided to treat myself to a new foundation and thought I'd check out the new shade offerings from MAC. I was very impressed- finally a MAC foundation for pale girls like myself! I currently wear the shade NW10 which suits my skin tone perfectly, something I usually struggle to find. The only other foundation that has suited me as well is Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation in Porcelain. The reason I switched to the MAC this time is that my skin has been quite a problem lately and I needed a foundation with a higher coverage.

I graduated from college not long after buying this foundation and for me, it was a really good way of testing the longevity of Studio Fix Fluid for a number of reasons;

1. It was quite hot on the day of the graduation- and combined with some seriously heavy robes I didn't want my make-up to be sliding off my face! Thankfully this didn't happen and it stayed in place despite the heat.

2. The nerves and stress leading up to the graduation played havoc with my skin-meaning I had to wear quite a lot of make-up. I followed the tried and tested Lisa Eldridge technique of applying a few thin layers of foundation and letting them set in-between, rather than one super-thick layer. This technique really works with MAC Studio Fix Fluid. I applied one layer, followed by concealer and then one more thin layer of foundation. This gave me the perfect amount of coverage without looking like a caked on mask.

3. There were so many photographs taken on the day, and looking back on them I'm very happy with how this make up photographed. The finish of the foundation is slightly dewy (not as glowy as Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation) which I like but for such a long day I did powder the skin to set everything in place. I used Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent. This combination left my skin with a slight glow in photographs but not an uber- shiny face look.

4. This foundation has some serious lasting power. Given that I put my make-up on at 10.30 that morning- it was really put through its paces. With the ceremony in the afternoon, a meal afterwards and a night out in the city to follow it really had to last all day! I'm happy to say that when I haphazardly came through the front door at five the next morning my make-up wasn't looking too worse for wear.

Sorry for the rather long review but I think this might be a holy grail foundation for me as it is the perfect shade, coverage and finish!

Nike Free Runs

 About two months ago I joined the gym- something I should have done a long time ago! For the first while the runners I was wearing were ok- however as I started jogging more I could soon see that I would need to invest in something a little more supportive- shin splints are not great!
After hearing so much about the Free Runs and seeing everyone wearing them I thought I'd see what they were like. Needless to say I think they're great, they're so light it makes running feel far easier. They're also surprisingly supportive considering how light they are. My favourite thing about them though is that they don't look like typically ugly gym trainers, instead they come in a variety of different colours- with lots if neon. I opted for the blue and neon pink pair and I love them!
They definitely are an investment purchase, at €99.99 in Foot Locker they weren't cheap but in the long run they'll be worth it!

*All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me.

Bioderma

Surprisingly enough, after reading beauty blogs and following beauty YouTube channels for a number of years I have never tried Bioderma. I do have an excuse, seeing as it isn't readily available in Dublin yet- I think House of Fraser in Dundrum is the only place you can get it!
So after a recent trip to Germany, I spied this cute little bottle in a pharmacy. At €6.90 for 100mls its not exactly cheap, it was definitely more sensible to get a bigger bottle but I couldn't get a large one in fear of my case being overweight for the flight home!
So far, I can really see what all the hype was about- something I didn't think would happen. For a product that seems so simple- its just a make-up remover, it really is someting I've fallen in love with. I very rarely use facial wipes to remove my make-up as they completly dry out my skin. However, occasionally if I'm home late and am feeling lazy I reach for the wipes. Bioderma is a great way of taking your make-up of in a rush wihout feeling guilty for your poor skin by using wipes!
It definitely needs to be stressed that this isn't a replacement for your cleanser but a nice way of effectively and speedily removing your makeup before you cleanse.

As it is such a small bottle I'd say I'll be running out very soon, Dublin needs to start stocking it or I'll have to buy online!




*All products mentioned in this post were purchased  by me.

Thermal Sprays

So after we've all seen how silly I look in the above picture we can talk about thermal sprays. They've been around for a while now but its only recently I've had some in my stash, I had previously had a try of an Avene one my Mum had but didn't really get the hype.
After a recently holiday my opinion on them changed for a number of reasons;

1- Being in the middle of a city in 30 degree heat for four days makes you very hot. These sprays are great when you're really hot and want nothing more than to splash your face with cold water. Except us make-up lovers can't really do that without a mascara meltdown! By using one of these you get a nice refreshing mist all over your face that cools you down and doesn't destroy your make-up.

2- Speaking of make-up and city breaks these sprays were lifesavers when it came to midday touch-ups. After a day filled with sightseeing in the heat touch-ups are definitely necessary, especially if you're heading straight from a day of museums to a bar. By lightly spritzing your face your make-up looks refreshed and dewy and allows you to apply more where you need it without the risk of looking cakey.

Possibly the biggest endorsement for these is that our male friends on this holiday laughed at us spraying our faces with these on day one. However, by the time we were on the flight home they were as addicted to using them as us!

These are the two sprays I have tried.
First up is Vichy Eau Thermale- decribed as rich in rare minerals, paraben free and suitable for sensitive skin. This was my favourite of the two as it sprayed quite a fine mist which didn't leave your face too wet.
Secondly is La Roche Posay's Thermal Spring Water- described as a natural antioxidant and  soothes and softens sensitive skin. This was also lovely but sprayed slightly heavier than the Vichy which made it slightly less usable when you're on the go.

Overall, I would have to say I'm converted and would never go on holiday to a hot destination without one!




*All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me.

Rimmel Salon Pro Polishes

After hearing many a good thing about Rimmel's latest nail polish offerings I decided to check them out....which has led to me buying quite a few!

First up is a gorgeous pastel-lilac shade that- so far- is my favourite of the bunch. This shade is called Ultra Violet and is a gorgeous spring/summer shade that keeps me looking at my nails whenever I wear it! The best part is that its completely opaque after two coats, which can be difficult to achieve with some pastel colours.
Next is Disco Fever a deep pink/purple that looks heavenly on toes. I'm not one for muted tones on toes so this is definitely a keeper in my book- as it really pops- it goes especially well with a sneaky shoe purchase I may have made this week!
The darkest of the bunch, aptly named Punk Rock is a colour I absolutely love. As much as I like black nail polish, it really is a pain in the arse to take off, so this colour is a slightly easier way to achieve dark nails without all the faffing about at manicure time. Its an unusual colour which is why I chose it- a dark grey, with a hint of mauvey purple.
Lastly is the most muted of the pack- Soul Session. A great staple nail polish- everyone needs a good nude, for days when you need to look understated and polished, like a job interview or if you just want to keep it simple. This ticks all the right boxes- plus its also nicely opaque after two coats.

So far I'm loving these polishes (if you can't already tell) as they are advertised as having a gel like finish, which they do. They look super glossy and are nice and long-lasting.
I can definitely see myself expanding my collection as they have quite a broad colour range!

Hope you enjoyed this post!
H x

Fashion & Beauty Haul: April 2013

Hello!
I filmed a video for my YouTube channel today featuring some recent fashion and beauty purchases from the picture below! Not a particularly large haul, just a few things I've bought recently! If you don't already follow me on YouTube my channel is also called CrumpetsAndMarmalade. http://www.youtube.com/user/CrumpetsAndMarmalade?feature=mhee

This week on Instagram #1

 

 Bought myself some new gym gear at the beginning of the week in the hopes it'll get my arse in gear.....so far so good!

 

Catching up on the newest editions of ELLE and Vogue.

 

Love the smell of this candle I bought during the week. Its from Dunnes and is scented with Freesia, a really pretty Spring smell!

 

Need to get myself one of these massive Starbucks mugs. Perfect for those completely necessary bowl-like cups of tea.

 

Absolutely addicted to this show at the moment. Finally got around to starting Season Three this week!

 

 

 

Went to see the new Ryan Gosling flick with the boyfriend this weekend- The Place Beyond the Pines. A seriously good watch. Be warned though, leaves you feeling inexplicably sad and also with a strange desire for a motorbike/acid wash jeans.

 

 

Its been far too long since I last had Converse. Treated myself to a simple black low-rise pair this week, forgot how much of a summer staple they are!

 

 

Thats what I've been up to the past week, see you soon,

H. x

MAC Ruby Woo

Mac's Ruby Woo is a lipstick that gets a lot of hype in the beauty world, however I only purchased it recently. I was quite indecisive, torn between Ruby Woo and Russian Red. I eventually settled for this shade as Russian Red is a lot darker and deeper and more appropriate for the winter months, Seeming as we are (supposedly) coming into Spring/Summer I thought that a more bright and vibrant shade would look good on summer days.

 

 Ruby Woo is quite a blue-toned red and it seems to suit almost every skin tone! It is a matte texture which I usually don't like as I find it can be too drying on the lips. This however, provides a beautiful matte texture which I think makes my lips appear slightly bigger as well as giving it amazing staying power with out leaving my lips looking super dry!

I have read before that this lipstick can make your teeth look whiter and it definitely does! I have to say I think that might be my favourite thing about this lipstick as quite often reds aren't very flattering for your poor teeth, but with Ruby Woo I don't feel so self-concious when I smile!



Below- Worn with Mac Cherry Lipliner.

 

 Overall, I think this is fast-becoming my go to red lipstick, previously it was Mac's Mac Red which is also lovely. I think this one is a real Hollyood-red, a classic colour that is always good for days when you need a little more oomph! Below is a picture of me wearing it on a recent night out (excuse my incredibly pale face!) it stayed on all night, I only needed to touch it up once!

 

 

H. x