Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Polishes.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here before how horribly weak my nails are. Years of working in retail and the fact that they aren't very strong anyway has left me with nails that peel and flake- gross I know. As they are so weak I find that no nail polishes have ever really worked for me, as when you have flaky weak nails the polish chips so fast! The only ones I've ever found to work are a recent discovery, the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polishes. These did the rounds of the blogosphere last year and the year before, but I never thought they'd be that good on my nails.

These are really brilliant- they come in an amazing colour range, really bright and pigmented. They're easy to use, the brush is nice and straight and just wide enough that you can paint each nail in two swipes-meaning no streaks! They last really well on me- if I get 2-3 days out of my polish I'm lucky as normally I'd have chips after one day! I've heard of these lasting much longer on other people- but I'm happy with just a few days. They really are high shine polishes, I was asked the other day if I had gel nails on they looked that glossy. I do top mine off with a top coat but you could skip this step as they're so shiny already-I just do it to make them last that bit longer.

The colours I have are (from left to right): Kiwi, Coconut and Pink Punch.
Kiwi is definitely my favourite, I wore it on my toes over the summer and it lasted for ages and was lovely and bright! However, now that its definitely more tights and boots appropriate weather I wear it on my fingernails and I always get so many compliments on the colour.

If any of you have ever tried these let me know what colours I should get next!

Nightcrawler Review.

As a lover of Jake Gylenhaal I knew I was going to have to see Nightcrawler. My boyfriend and I went last weekend so I thought I'd let you guys know what I thought of it. 

From the trailer and movie posters it looked as though it had a bit of a Drive vibe going on- and I sort of had to get that out of my head quite early on as its a very different type of film. 

The movie follows Lou Bloom- whom at the beginning is a guy struggling to get a job and stealing from building sites to survive. Circumstances soon change as he becomes a Nightcrawler- something I had never heard of before. We see Lou driving at white knuckle speeds around L.A following police radios to try and get footage from the scenes of car crashes and attacks around the city. As that description suggests its a grim and morbid job that at times feels quite sickening, with other Nightcrawlers stating that "if it bleeds, it leads". They then sell this footage to the highest bidding news stations- the more affluent the victim the more they pay. The film is a very negative portrayal of the media, something that just keeps cropping up in films at the minute, as it shows the bloodthirsty ruthlessness of these stations. Possibly the best quip from the film is when Lou gets some advice on what to film;

"...the best and clearest way that I can phrase it to you, Lou, to capture the spirit of what we air is to think of our newscast as a screaming woman, running down the street with her throat cut."

 Although I did enjoy this film, for me personally I felt that something was missing. I'm a sucker for a film with a likable yet flawed character which is something you most certainly won't find in Nightcrawler. However, that is not to criticise Gyllenhaal's performance- he's fantastic. Lou is a manipulative, cold-hearted anti-hero. These traits are easily portrayed, Gyllenhaal excels at creating a character that is also chilling and borderline manic- he is superb.

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Overall, I would recommend you go and see this if you haven't already. Its a suspenseful and at times humorous noir,and Gyllenhaal will leave you on edge with his depiction of Lou. This film has left me excited to see what he'll do next, as I feel he keeps choosing more and more interesting and dynamic roles. I think we have a lot more to see from Jake Gyllenhaal.

October Favourites!

In case you missed it, I uploaded my October Favourites over on my You Tube channel this week! If you've already seen it you'll know that I'm off to Copenhagen in a few weeks and would love some tips on where to go/eat from any of you who have already been!

Gone Girl Movie Review.

If you also follow me over on my You Tube channel you might have already seen my review of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl- I mentioned over there that I would also review the film once I'd seen it. Sorry the review is a little on the late side but the film is still on in cinemas so if you haven't seen it yet there's still time!

If you've already watched my video you'll know what I thought of the book. Although I did enjoy it, I was a passionate hater of the ending (along with most people) and felt it let the book down, so I was interested to see how this would translate into a film.

The story follows the marriage of Nick and Amy- a country mouse/city mouse combo that starts to turn ugly. The film shows us quite a negative and brutal portrayal of marriage, which is one of the most interesting aspects of the book. I was glad to see that their complicated and manipulative relationship came across so well in the film- its small nuances like this that can be lost in the transition from page to screen. Director David Fincher is more than used to this transition having already directed Fight Club and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, both of which, much like Gone Girl, were hugely successful novels before their appearance in cinemas. Fincher's style works perfectly here as he creates yet another moody, intelligent and suspenseful film, with of course a killer twist!

There was an awful lot of hype and build up surrounding this film, as there always is when a popular novel makes its way onto the silver screen. When a book has been so widely read its really important to get the casting right, and in my opinion this movie was spot on. Ben Affleck plays a fantastic Nick- he was exactly how I had imagined. Rosamund Pike, relatively unknown until now- I had only seen her as Jane from Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice- also gave a stellar performance. Amy is an incredibly multi-faceted character and she got every side of her across- something that can be hard to do on screen and in such depth.

If you still haven't made the trip to the cinema to see Gone Girl you definitely should! Although I wasn't a huge lover of the book, I think it made a far better film- something I never usually say! What did you think? Let me know down in the comments, especially if you've read the book too!

Drive In Cinema!

So this Bank Holiday weekend I went to a drive in cinema- something I've never done before. My friend and I went to Tattersall's out in Ratoath where all week they're playing horror movies every night up until Halloween. SUCH an amazing idea! 

The set up was great; Shake Shop, Tim Horton's if you feel like coffee and doughnuts, and an Eddie Rockets Van. We went for hot dogs and garlic fries in Eddie Rockets and ate them in the car- which resulted in ketchup all over my hands of course!

We went to see Friday the 13th- you can't have Halloween without some classic cheesey horror! These movies are so dated but hilarious- and we did did get quite scared at some parts I will admit!



This was such a fun  night and I can't wait to go back and see something next time its on! My one tip would be to bring lots of blankets and pillows, which is what we did so that the car was nice and cosy! You can bring as many people as you like but ideally only two is best so you can see the screen properly- also we wound our chairs right back which was super comfy.

Here's the link to where we went; check out what else they have on this week and I'd highly recommend going if you can! It makes such a difference to just heading to the cinema-its way more fun!


http://www.driveinfilms.ie/

Photo Credit: Anne Marie Kelly- thanks babes ;)

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

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So this review has been a long time coming. I bought the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate about three months ago, it was my intention to use it for quite a while before giving you my verdict but I never thought it would take me this long to get around to it! At least you know for sure that this is a tried and tested review.

I bought this about one month into my new job where we have some intense air conditioning, At the time my skin was in a lot worse shape than it is now, it was really breaking out and dry. As everyone knows when a spot is healing its normal for the area to get a bit dry. However, when you have a really bad breakout it looks particularly awful when large areas are dry- and I hate to say this word but- crusty. There I said it! Its a gross way to describe it but the best description really, and anyone who's been there knows what I'm talking about, am I right?
So, this was a major skin emergency, working 35 hours a week with my skin just getting drier and drier- so I treated myself to the Kiehl's oil with my first paycheck.

I'd heard a lot of reviews of this oil so I knew it was going to be good, its not until the last few weeks that I can really see just how good. My skin hasn't been breaking out as much recently and it looks far glowier and less dry. I'd never used a facial oil before this as I didn't think my skin needed that much hydration and also I was worried it would break me out more.
Oh boy was I wrong. The texture of my skin since using this is so much more plump and radiant. I only use it at night (about 3-4 drops pressed into the skin) and my skin feels so healthy and nourished when I wake up in the morning, resulting in my make-up going on so much smoother. I still use my Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream afterwards, giving the oil about ten minutes to sink in first.
I would highly recommend this to anyone, whether your skin is dry or just looking a bit dull and lacklustre as it really has improved the overall appearance of my skin!
The only downside is that it is quite expensive. It costs around €45 for the bottle, but after using it every night for three months I've not even used a fifth of the product- a little goes a long way.

Let me know down in the comments if you've used this before and what you think of it! Or do you have any recommendations for something similar that could be used as part of my morning routine?

The Goldfinch Review!

 

 

 

For any of you that may have missed my last video, it was a review of Donna Tartt's amazing book The Goldfinch. If you want an in-depth review of the novel then check that out, i'll leave the link below. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and something I forgot to mention in my review is the miniature print of the painting that comes inside it. I have the hardback version so I'm not sure if its the same with the paperback- inside the second page is a small colour copy of the painting 'The Goldfinch'. I think this is a really sweet addition to the book as the painting plays such a huge part in the story. Its really easy to take it out of the book too so you could use it as a book mark or stick it on your wall if you like it. Anyhow I just thought  I'd mention that here as I forgot to over on my channel!

As always if you've read this book let me know your thoughts down in the comments and give me some reccomendations!

 

 

 

 

Skin Update- Dairy Free Week Two!

So, its been just over two weeks since I started my dairy free diet and as promised I'm going to give you guys a little update on how I'm getting on!

Last week I did get two or three spots around my forehead and chin area, where I usually get them. As I have spots like these ALL the time they were nothing unusual for me. Some of you may be thinking that two weeks in if I'm still breaking out then the dairy free can't be working, don't worry, it was that time of the  month so I'm going to put them down as hormonal spots. I always laugh when people say they break out at this time of the month as I never notice any difference as my skin is always breaking out in these areas!
However, the last three or four days I've had no new break outs and my skin seems to be clearing up! I can by no means put this down to dairy free yet as, like I said before, sometimes my skin just likes to behave itself occasionally.

I have been finding the past week a bit easier in terms of the dietary changes. Cheese is still calling me from the fridge every time I walk past and without it I find it too sad to eat pasta! What's pasta without cheese?!? The biggest test for me was Monday-my sister's birthday. My Dad bought Marks and Spencer's Colin Caterpillars (HEAVEN) and a big chocolate cake. I managed to resist but sat and sulked in the corner for the rest of the evening. Chocolate cake is such a vice for me- I could easily sit there and eat two or three slices- don't judge me.

Overall its going well- I'm hoping to see some serious changes in the next week or two and I'll be back with an update on  Monday!

Afternoon in Malahide.

On Sunday my two friends and I decided to head off to Malahide for the afternoon. If you're ever in Dublin/or if you are and you've never been, Malahide is such a nice place to spend a chilled out Sunday afternoon, have some lunch, go for a walk and do some shopping.

We went for lunch in first in Malahide Village, a place called The Scotch Bonnet. It was SO TASTY- I got the baby Back Ribs and they were delish. 

Malahide Castle has an Avoca in it, which is one of my favourite places to browse around. Avoca is an Irish shop, they also have on in Dublin City Centre- they stock so much stuff, from handmade lambswool blankets, homeware, beauty and clothes. They do the most gorgeous Avoca soaps which I absolutely love, they have so many scents to choose from. Its a real knick-knack type of shop and is a great place to buy someone a nice gift.

I especially love their book section- the shelves and layout are so beautiful, I'd love this set up in my own home! They stock a lot of cookery books as they also have a cafe there; everything from a range of quirky pocket size reads to gorgeous coffee table books.

The cafe there is quite big and the cake selection is heavenly. I personally LOVE there rice crispie cakes- doesn't look like the most decadent option but they are melt in the mouth good! I didn't get a cake as you guys know I've gone dairy-free and it killed me not to get one. My friends both got cheesecakes and could barely finish them as the slices are huge! We sat outside as it was a gorgeous sunny day and their outside seating area is so pretty.

I wore a new dress I bought on Saturday, don't you just love the print? I got this little gem in Penny's and I love it- its slightly longer at the back which is nice and it was super comfy after all the food I ate :) I wore it with my ASOS wishbone necklace and my New Look boots.

After such a chilled out Sunday I finished it off with a bath bomb I got in Lush. I'd never tried this one before it was called Space Girl and was super glittery. It made my bath a pinky purple colour and smelt so nice!

Hope you enjoyed this post- I love doing these more chilled out lifestyle type posts so let me know if you want me to do more! X

Lets Talk Skin #1

So I uploaded a video yesterday all about my skin and the problems I'm having with it. Check it out if you haven't already seen it.

I'm gong to be doing regular skin updates here on my blog every week to let you guys know how its doing! So since last Monday I've been sticking to a dairy free diet to see what it does for my skin. In the past I've tried healthy eating, a gluten free diet and changing my Pill in order to clear up my skin. Unfortunately nothing has worked so going dairy free is one of the few things I haven't tried! I've read a lot online that says dairy can be a trigger for adult acne so I thought why not I'll give it a try!

So in the video you'll get to see me with no makeup on, not a pretty sight! I wanted to do this to show you guys what my skin is really like and how amazing makeup can be! You'll see that my acne is concentrated in my T-Zone and that my cheeks are totally clear and smooth. It can be really hard to cover acne, and its something I struggle with on a daily basis as my skin is constantly changing, Some days it is really dry around areas were spots are healing which means that make-up can look so crusty and gross over it-there's no nice way of saying this! Sometimes these dry areas can get really greasy throughout the day which makes spots impossible to cover as if I put powder over an area that's greasy and dry it just looks even worse! So as you can imagine this becomes a vicious cycle, I don't want to leave the house without make-up despite the fact that sometimes make-up can draw more attention to problem areas! I'm sure so many other people struggle with this too!

So on to the dairy free side of things. I'm going to try dairy free for a whole month and see if I notice any major changes in my skin. So far its been a full week and I have no new breakouts- result! My skin is still in a bad way at the moment as I have a lot of breakout areas that are healing, but no new ones have appeared. This sometimes just happens with me so I can't put it down to the no-dairy just yet! I won't lie, it has been a difficult week although some days are easier than others! For example I was out with my friends today and they both ordered huge slices of cheesecake in Avoca and it was so hard not to do the same- and I did feel miserable watching them tuck into their cake! However afterwards I was so happy and proud of myself that I didn't give in to my cravings and stuck to it!

Thanks so much to everyone who left me such lovely comments over on my video- it made me very emotional and so happy to read them all! I will be blogging again next week to let you know how I'm getting on so keep an eye out for that!

This week on Instagram....

MONDAY.

Brush cleaning is what Sunday nights are made for and seeing as we had a bank holiday this week, Monday took the place of my usual Sunday routine! For me, there's almost nothing better than clean makeup brushes, especially when you start your week using them. Your makeup just seems to glide on that bit smoother. As you can see most of mine are from Real Techniques and I use the Dr Bronner's soap to clean them!

 

 

TUESDAY.

After work on Tuesday I met a few friends and we headed to the cinema. It was a really sunny afternoon, so after work it was nice to sit outside, have a drink and a catch up. We went to see Guardians of the Galaxy which I didn't think was going to be that good. It was hilarious! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it!

 

 

WEDNESDAY.

So on Wednesday I started the 30 Day Shred, which I have started numerous times and never finished it. I'm going away ion less than a month so decided it was time to break out the Free Runs and get my lazy ass off the sofa! It definitely wasn't easy, and I'll keep you guys posted on how I'm getting on!

 

THURSDAY.

When its this close to the weekend its always hard to get out of bed. Its even harder when this little squidge gets in beside me!

SATURDAY.

Had a great day Saturday out in Dundrum, its never a place I usually go but I really wanted to finally try Jamie's Italian. It was really nice, I didn't really like my main course but I think that was just me ordering something that had fennel in-not a fan! However, our starters (calamari-heaven!) and dessert were to die for! I got an Epic Brownie for dessert, served with toffee covered popcorn and amaretto ice-cream. So, so tasty!

 

 SUNDAY.

Currently reading The Rosie Project, so far I just can't seem to get into this one. I've heard so many good things about it though! Let me know if you want me to review it, who knows maybe I'll end up really enjoying it!

Bourjous Rouge Edition Velvets.

For anyone of you who also watch my YouTube videos, you may already be familiar with my new found love for the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets. I mentioned them in a recent haul and ooooh baby it is LOVE.
It's no secret that I'm a fan of a bold, matte lip. It's definitely my favourite, must have makeup product and what I always reach for if I'm not sure what look I want to go for.
These are liquid lipsticks, so they look like a lip gloss but have the finish and the staying power of a lipstick. Much like the Rimmel Apocalips they are highly pigmented and long lasting. However I much prefer these as they dry to a matte finish. Most importantly these feel really lightweight and creamy on your lips. Another bonus is that they are easy to layer up and re-apply throughout the day, which can sometimes be a pain with matte lips.
I picked up two shades, on the recommendations of Vivianna Does Makeup, she loves these! I got Ole Flamingo a hot (in some lights almost neon) pink, as well as Hot Pepper, a beautiful orangey red. I have worn both of these loads already, especially the pink which is surprising for me!

Have any of you tried these? If so let me know what you think of them down in the comments and what colour I should try next!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturisers- Review.

Happy Tuesday everyone- hope you all had a relaxing Bank Holiday weekend!


Today I'm going to be reviewing the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturisers. As I mentioned in my recent Beauty Haul, I had heard great things about the Vitamin E Range from non other than the skincare Queen, Caroline Hirons. I tend to follow Mrs Hirons advice on anything skincare, so when she recommended a more affordable skincare range I was all over it.
So far I've really been enjoying these, I picked up the Illuminating Day Cream which has a slight shimmer too it (not too much) which I LOVE. It makes me feel so glowy and fabulous when I put it on in the mornings, and I think it would look beautiful on no makeup days. I find that its really nice to apply makeup over, not greasy or tacky at all. It has a much lighter and runnier consistency than I'm used to in a moisturiser but I actually quite like this for daytime, especially in summer.
I also got the Nourishing Night Cream which is also a winner in my books, This is super-thick which makes it feel really nourishing as it claims to be. After using this with my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil I wake up with really softy and plumped up skin.
I also really like the scent of both of these, its light and sweet and kind of reminds me of the Johnson's Baby Lotion. I would highly recommend these to anyone with dry skin, mines been so dry this year but these have really helped to improve the look and texture of my skin!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub- Review.

Today I have a very speedy review for you all, and its of the much raved about Lush Lip Scrub.

I've seen these talked about for yonks and after a recent trip to Lush I decided to finally pick one up and try it for myself! The other flavour is mint, but I jut couldn't resist the bright pink Bubblegum version!

The way to use this is so easy, I just lick my lips and apply a small amount of this all over them, rubbing it in quite gently. Made up of sugar and essential oils this scrub is excellent at removing all the dead and dry skin from your lips and leaves them feeling moisturised after! I lick the scrub off my lips afterwards, which I'm not sure you're supposed to do, but it tastes so nice!

This product is so great for people like myself who love wearing a matte lip. In Winter my lips get so dry and this paired with a matte lip product is not a good combination! I can see myself using this a lot in the colder months and have so far been using this once or twice a week, or whenever I feel I need it.

This is definitely something I'll be repurchasing as I love it, have any of you used this or the mint version? If so let me know what you think down in the comments!

August Beauty Haul!

In case you missed it...... uploaded a new video over on my channel yesterday- so grab yourself a cup of tea and watch my August Beauty Haul!

July Collective Haul!

New video up over on my YouTube channel guys! Its a huge collective haul with stuff from COS, Penneys/Primark and New Look.

Aurelia Cleanser Review.

One beauty product that I always love trying out is cleanser. I've tried loads of different types, creams, oils and balms and they're something that I probably spend the most money on in my whole beauty routine. Most recently I've been trying the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser which I received at the recent Space NK launch party here in Dublin.

To be honest I haven't heard that much about Aurelia skincare- just a few mentions here and there- so I didn't have many expectations for this product. First of all, the packaging is gorgeous! I love the pot- it feels really heavy and expensive and also looks nice on my dressing table! The little muslin cloth was a nice addition and looked so cute all wrapped up with a pink ribbon inside the box.

The product itself is also lovely. I've been using it for about two/three weeks now and I think its safe to say I really like it. I tend to use cream cleansers in the morning as they are nice and light and leave my skin feeling clean and moisturised before applying makeup. I have also used this at night after my Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm as a second cleanse if I was wearing particularly heavy make up that day.

This cleanser leaves my skin feeling plump and nourished after using- it has a really thick consistency. Best of all my skin feels nice and clean without that horrible tight, stripped sensation cleansers sometimes give. The smell is amazing; containing chamomile, eucalyptus and rosemary it smells very medicinal and clean- something I really love in my skincare products.

I'd really recommend this to anyone who is looking for a nice gentle cleanser to use morning or night. Its also great for us Irish girls as the whole Aurelia skincare range is now available in Space NK!

Half the Sky: How to Change the World: Book Review.

 

 

 

New video up over on my You Tube channel: my review of Half the Sky: How to Change the WorlD by Nicholas D.Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. Such an amazing and inspirational book- I can't recommend it enough!

 

 

 

June Favourites 2014!

June Favourites are now up over on my YouTube channel! X

Space NK Grafton Street Launch Party.

I got the chance last Thursday to attend the Space NK launch party which was so exciting! This is the first Space NK store in Ireland (except for a very small concession in Harvey Nichols) and its so great to see it open here. The store is on Grafton Street, in a brilliant location and the shop itself is gorgeous. The inside is bright, fresh and airy and I love how all the products are displayed- another bonus is that everything is priced, including the make-up stands. This is something that makes shopping so much easier- I hate asking repeatedly how much something is!

The launch party itself was fantastic, they had a DJ as well as delicious cocktails and nibbles. The staff were all so helpful and friendly, particularly the Assistant Manager who was more than helpful when I asked about the This Works range- even giving me some mini samples of the Deep Sleep oil and cream.

Now onto the best bit: the products. I felt like a little kid in a candy shop walking in here- they have SO many brands us Irish beauty junkies have been starved of for so long! Such as Chantecaille, Kevin Aucoin, By Terry, Lipstick Queen, Oskia, the Diptique skincare range, Caudalie just to name a few. This is so amazing as before I would have had to buy from these brands online, which just isn't the same as swatching in store before buying- especially with make-up!

One of the nicest things about Space NK is the miniature range they have- these are smaller half size versions of products they stock so you can buy a slightly cheaper version of something and see if you like it- they're also great for travelling! I picked up the Caudalie Beauty Elixir that I've heard so much about to try. We were also given the most amazing goodie bags at the end of the night with tonnes of full size hair and skincare products to try. So far I've been loving the Aurelia cleanser and the Sarah Chapman Spot Stickers- I'll be doing full reviews on some of these products over the next few weeks.

 

 Overall I'm so delighted Space NK has opened here and I know the shop is going to do so well! The only negative that I have is that its opened very close to where I work which means frequent trips there on my lunch breaks- my bank balance isn't too happy about that!