MAC Multis.

I am all about multipurpose items. I'm a sucker for a product that denotes that it is for hands AND feet, for cheeks AND lips, I mean, it's somewhat satisfying knowing that you're being totally economical and snagging a bargain, it's like two products in one! I for one feel completely smug when I manage to nab an item like this, and I'm guessing that is exactly how marketers and advertisers want you to feel. Smug that is. Yes, I can put my hands up and admit I fall for these ploys, because it makes me feel like i'm saving money and space. But even though I'm aware of this, I still edge towards these items when I'm shopping. These and miniatures. I'm a sucker for a good miniature.

Now before you're thinking I'm introducing a fabulous multi-purpose-all-in-one-product from MAC, I'm not. I'm unaware of any MAC products that can be used in various ways. Excluding pigments that is. But I have come across a highlighter and a bronzer that I use in more ways than one. It might not be a surprise for most people, but I got that smug feeling using these products in places they aren't actually really for, and felt like sharing.

Meet Lightscapade and Harmony. They sound like cool Hippy names.
Lightscapade (left), and Harmony (right).

Lightscapade is a gorgeous gold, silver and blue pearl Mineralize Skinfinish that looks stunning just swept across bare cheekbones, but is complemented by a dark contour underneath the cheekbone for a sculpted finish. Now for the multi part. I also use this on my eyes, in two ways. I use it firstly as an eyeshadow. There is something so satisfying about having a large compact eyeshadow, as opposed to a tiny standard one. I dab the powder onto my brush, spray the brush with a spritz of water (Fix+ would also work), and the colour is absolutely transformed. It becomes so pigmented and 'poppin', that it goes from a mere dust of shimmer to a strong, vibrant shadow. The second way I wear this on my eyes is as a brow highlight. I don't don the water for this one, because I prefer it to look soft and more subtle. I use it just under the highest point of the eyebrow to highlight the arch, and another technique I've been using recently is to dab a tiny wash of highlight just above the highest point of the brow, this gives the illusion of higher, fuller brows. :)
The third way I use this product is to highlight the face. I use it on the top of the cheekbones, along the bridge of my nose, and on my cupid's bow. This focuses on the highest points of the face, reflects light away from them, and does exactly what it says on the tin, and that is highlight.

Harmony is a stunning matte pinky brown powder which can be found in the blush section in MAC. This powder is used specifically to contour the face. I use it with Lightscapade as it complements it perfectly and I use this in a multitude of different places on my face. This powder is used to create depth in the hollows of the face and can give the appearance of a thinner and more sculpted face. I use it under the cheekbones, along the sides of my nose, around my jawline, above my temples, and in my eye crease. Talk about multipurpose! This also doubles up as a matte eyeshadow and is a perfect neutral to accompany any nude or paler tones.

This duo isn't only economical and multipurpose, but a perfect combination of colour if applied togther. If the two shades are used on the face as well as the eyes, this will create a perfect colour palette, and compliment all features.

What multipurpose items do you love?!
Let me know!

Talk soon :)

January Blues

January hasn't been very blue for me, which is a good thing I suppose, as it is usually a slump start to the season for most people. January so far for me has been about planning and saving. I am going away nearly every weekend in February so I have mostly been scrimping for that, albeit buying tickets, booking hotels, and just generally looking forward to what February will hold. Ok, I have mostly been scrimping, but couldn't resist a few teeny purchases. I told myself that they are for my trips away, which is just a pathetic excuse to splurge, but I do think that most of my new purchases will come in handy for when I'm away. Result.

So in January I have been:
Working, Photographing, Beauty Product Hauling, Brunching, Reading, and Low Carb eating.

I went on a Photography expedition to introduce my new Sony Nex5 to the world. Or rather, the world to my Sony Nex5. It was hardly an expedition, but more of a hill walk/adventure with pictures.

New bits and bobs that I have accumulated for my trips away just cos.

1. New Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. I am such a fan of the original that I had to try out it's newer counterpart. So far I heart. This came free with a mascara, which is surprisingly fantastic, and makes my lashes spring out from my eyes and curve nicely. I also bought a little bottle of serum, which is perfect for travelling and I can't resist a cute miniature. This one is from Tresemme and contains Argan Oil which is miraculous for hair, and god knows my hair needs a boost considering the crapola I've put it through the past year.

2. Topshop Makeup. I was a Topshop Makeup virgin up until I well, spotted it, and just decided to try it on a whim. I bought two lipsticks and a blush. The lippies are Nevada (left) and Infrared (middle), which are both gorgeously pigmented and long lasting. I prefer Infrared though, as it gives quite the shock factor, and it's the first orangey-red to grace my collection. The blush however was a mistake purchase, as it looked more orange on the box, and was in the orangey blush section on the shelf, and I thought hey, perfect for my orange lippie. It was not orange. As you can see from the picture. It's a pretty pink, but one of which I have an infinite amount of in my collection already. Sigh.

3. Trevor Sorbie Haircare. I purchased this set from Boots in the sales; €16 down to €8. I can't resist a 50% off sign, and told myself that this set is perfect for my trips away! I also needed a new makeup bag, and the bag the products come in is the perfect size and nice and sturdy. Win win. I have yet to try the products out, but I got the volumise range, there was a non frizz on offer also.

4. This is a random selection of goodies from Boots. They were pretty much all necessities, so I didn't splurge too much. :)

E45 Hand Cream: I needed a good handcream for my hands as they are in bits most of the time from work, and this is the perfect size, is a reputable brand, is for dry/sensitive skin and perfect for travelling.

Umberto Giannini Dry Shampoo: I don't really use dry shampoo, but thought as it was a miniature and only 50cent (Yes, 50cent!), it would be rude not to. Also perfect for travelling, or for popping in your overnight bag if you need to freshen your hair up. Tip: Always look in the Clearance/Bargain Bin Sections in shops, alot of the time it is mostly products that are a bit on the dodgy side, but once in a while you could snap up a real gem! :)

Pharmacy Brand Witch Hazel & Rose Water: I use this as a toner, as it is for oily skin. Rose water is a perfect toner, for use after cleansing, or just to spritz on during the day to refresh.

Norweigan Formula Intense Repair Lip Balm: My lips aren't very dry, but whenever I wear lipstick they look as if they are dry, so I went in search of a moisturising balm that actually repairs, as more often than not, most balms I've used moisturise, but only for five minutes, or until they rub off. This one moisturises, repairs, and leaves a nice glossy sheen to the lips.

Carex Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser: I am a germ freak. Most of the time. I like just having this with me, no harm at all! I use it after I press the button for the traffic lights, or after I touch things in public places, like taps in bathrooms and such! That sounds dirty and I sound kind of OCD, but I'm not, I swear! Bacteria is everywhere!

:)

Its nearly thursday! Which means its nearly friday, which means hello weekend :)
Are any of my followers going to IMATS in London next friday?? If you are let me know :)
Talk soon x

NARS ATTACKS!

I laughed as I wrote this title. It is a pathetic quip at the 1996 film Mars Attacks!, which I grew up with and found utterly brilliant. But don't be alarmed, this post is not about aliens, it is in fact about a few items I have acquired as of late from the amazing brand NARS; if you didn't already guess.

I was a NARS virgin up until last year when I got my makeup done professionally for my 21st. The makeup artist, Emma Farrell, who teaches at L.A Makeup Academy, used a gorgeous shimmery navy blue shadow on me, and although I can't for the life of me remember the name of it, I absolutely fell in love. I didn't think it was possible to fall in love with an eyeshadow, and shallow as it sounds, it happened that day. I have since been searching for that shadow, but unfortunately, I am still searching. This is starting to sound like an actual love story, and not one involving an makeup item.

I dabbled and lingered around the NARS counter in Brown Thomas, which if I may say so myself is a little limited and not like a counter at all, but more like a stand housing a few key items, in which there is no resident makeup artist, but more a girl who to-and-fro's between counters when required. I don't particularly like this, as I feel a sales assistant who is not permanently chained to a certain brand counter may not be well versed in the language of said brand. This is a personal thing, as I have worked in department stores with cosmetics counters and know of girls who have done just this, to-and-fro'ed between counters when needed by a customer, but whom may not know all there is to know about the brands they are working for.

My latest NARS purchases were from Asos.com, which is a divil of a site, and accepts laser. This is not good news for my laser however, because as soon as friday (payday) rolls around, my bank account gets an Asos beating. I know I know, buying makeup online is a bad idea, and is quite risqué, regarding mismatched colours, and just in general a certain colour not suiting you. But I went with eyeshadow and lipstick, and felt I couldn't be too far out. And booooy was I delighted.

I held a Christmas giveaway featuring the Limited Edition Night Series Palette from NARS, and fell in love/lust with it so much that I purchased one for myself too. I came to the conclusion that palettes are very very handy, especially for nights out or trips away, as you have all your shadows in one place, and aren't dabbling around with single shadows which are bulkier and take up more room. And I like being organised, so having shadows all in one place is like a dream for a organisation freak like myself.

I splurged and bought two, the Night Series and the Arabian Nights Palette, which is just delish. Both palettes are very shimmery and glittery, and one thing which I dislike is that the glitter is quite thick and chunky, and for some unknown reason, I just plain don't like that. I'm kind of pernickety, but I think we all are in some way or another. The colour payoff is quite good, although the two palest shadows in the Night Series Palette aren't very pigmented, which is kind of a boo-urns for me. As for the rest, well the colours are just amazing, and they all blend so fantastically.

I also bought the Scarlet Empress Semi-Matte Lipstick, which is a gorgeous deep burgundy. I'm mad for the deep rich colours these days. Oddly enough, It looks very dark red in the tube, but when applied comes across more pink than red. Strange. But lovely consistency and it is non drying.

Overall I'm happy with my NARS purchases, although in future I probably will try lipsticks at the counter before purchasing, just to avoid disappointment regarding colour payoff, and just general suitability.

Do you own any must-have NARS items? If you do, definitely let me know, as I am keen to try more of their products :)

Hope you're all having a lovely sunday!

Snake Eyes.

I filmed a tutorial video for my YouTube channel for this look a few days ago. I love smokey eyes, but I always seem to opt for my 'safe' smokey eye on a night out. I decided to jazz it up a bit by adding a luscious purple, and absolutely loved the result. I have a ridiculous amount of acid bright coloured shadows in my collection, and more often than not I neglect them all. I don't really know why I purchased them in the first place, well I do, I was drawn to their sheer brightness, and for some reason I can't resist the panache and bounce of a luminous bright.

But this neglect has led me to abuse the pale neutrals in my collection, with the Naked Palette stealing the limelight. (Sidenote: The Naked2 Palette does not appeal to me, it appears to be a collection of duplicates from it's previous counterpart, and i'm just not completely sold on it.)
Apart from the Naked Palette, my Sleek palettes and a few MAC shades are my go-to neutrals.

Although I love the simplicity of a pale neutral eye, I adore the drama and sexiness of a smokey eye. The elements for this smokey eye were all quite simple. All I did was outline a line around the crease using gel liner, and used this as a template for the shading on the lid. I used five different colours for this look, although it could easily be achieved using only two of the colours I used.
I applied a wash of Urban Decays Ransom all over the lid, and blended out with a navy blue and deep purple from the Sleek Bohemian Palette on the outer corner. I brightened up the inner corner using a silver pigment from Lumiere Cosmetics, and finally blended out the gel liner line with Envy black shadow from Smashbox. I then applied falsies, a lick of mascara, and voila! The purple smokey eye is complete!

The next time I go out for a night out I am most definitely going to play around with more colourful
shades and incorporate them into my smokey eye. The technique using gel liner to shape the shadow is a useful one to attain the perfect shape.

Also, instead of making New Years Resolutions, which I usually don't stick to, I have decided to make a list of long term goals, in the form of 101 Goals in 1001 Days. This list is a compilation of things, both big and small, that I want to do. I have barely started, but I have already ticked off a few things. And it feels good. :)

I hope you are all having a good weekend :)

101 Goals in 1001 Days.

As of late i've become quite ambitious, maybe it is as a result of finishing four years of a degree in college, and realising I have been thrown out into the big bad world. I love making lists, I love achieving things, and I feel so accomplished when I achieve something I've set my mind to. So what better way to do that than on this blog, which over the past two years has been my personal space to vent, post and just babble about nonsensical sludge. And do my makeup and take pictures of it. :)

This post will be regularly updated once goals have been completed, and will hopefully be consistent and not just forgotten about. Some of these will probably appear to be quite unrealistic, but that is precisely why they are being entered. If anything, writing these out for the world to see will make me more motivated than if they weren't.

Start Date: 5.1.12
End Date: 29.9.14
Green Text: Completed Goal.:)

1. Purchase a sunshine yellow Kitchen Aid.
2. Be paid to cook for someone/cater; friends/family/the world. (2/3) Completed: Friends/Family.
3. Learn to drive.
4. Complete a Makeup Course.
5. Be happy in a job. Completed.
6. Become fluent in French.
7. Go skydiving.
8. Organise my wardrobe. Completed.
9. Build a photography portfolio. Completed.
10. Complete my recipe book.
11. Apply for 5 jobs in 5 high end establishments. (3/5) Completed: Four Seasons, Relais and Chateaux, The Westbury.
12. Host a dinner party.
13. Stop biting my nails.
14. Buy Chanel's 'Coco' perfume. Completed.
15. Make Business Cards.
16. Visit Japan.
17. Partake in a Japanese Tea Ceremony.
18. Hire a VW Camper and go on a roadtrip.
19. Eat street food in Vietnam.
20. Visit an antiques fair.
21. Grow a herb garden.
22. Purchase a Vivienne Westwood Handbag.
23. Do someones makeup.
24. Intern at a magazine; food related or other.
25. Take an evening class.
26. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
27. Paint an abstract piece on canvas.
28. Take up yoga or Pilates.
29. Make 5 strange flavours of icecream. (3/5) Completed: Earl Grey, Mint Julep, Buttermilk
30. Build a treehouse.
31. Buy a notebook specifically for to do lists and get organised! Completed.
32. Work as a stagiaire in a Michelin Starred Restaurant.
33. Walk on the beach at night.
34. Compliment a stranger.
35. Visit Hollywood.
36. Swim in crystal clear water.
37. Cut out carbs for 1 week.
38. Change someones mind about something I care deeply about.
39. Reach 1000 followers on my blog. Completed.
40. Get a massage. Completed.
41. Buy a blazer in 5 different colours. (4/5) Completed.

42. Eat at the Fat Duck.
43. Stay/Work at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.
44. Buy a good every day handbag.
45. Stand up for myself when I'm being treated unfairly.
46. Eat at Le Gavroche.
47. Buy a beauty product from each of these brands; Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Guerlain, NARS. (4/5) Completed.
48. Build a professional portfolio.
49. Live in France. (Again).
50. Read 5 non-trashy novels.
51. Visit London. Completed.
52. Buy my first car.
53. Buy a kitsch item of kitchenware.
54. Have a spa day with my mom and sister. Completed.
 55. Have a cocktails and canapés night.
56. Buy a designer piece I LOVE.
57. Buy a 2012 diary. Completed.
58. Get my eyebrows shaped.Completed.
59. Fly first class.
60. Have afternoon tea. Completed.
61. Accomplish something i've worked really hard for.
62. Visit River Cottage.
63. Donate clothes/shoes to charity. Completed.
64. Buy a new phone. Completed.
65. Open a savings account. Completed.
66. Plan something special for Carl.
67. Buy a new laptop.
68. Get a facial. Completed.
69. Plan and prepare a romantic 6 course meal. Yes! 6!
70. Try something new and completely out of the ordinary in a restaurant. Completed.
71. Join a gym.
72. Teach myself how to do something.
73. Go skiing. (Again!)
74. Make Christmas dinner for my entire family.
75. Buy my perfect pair of jeans. Completed.
76. Buy something unexpected for each member of my family. (1/4) Completed.
77. Purchase a vintage piece of some sort.
78. Buy cute stationery.
79. Be more confident.
80. Find my perfect skincare products.
81. Reconnect with old friends.
82. Write a love letter.
83. Organise my work space. Completed.
84. Hold a blog sale.
85. Make a fashion inspiration book out of old magazines.
86. Visit 5 food markets. (2/5) Completed.
87. Find a hidden gem of a place in Dublin City. Completed; Indian Brasserie, the best, most underrated Indian restaurant EVER.
88. Swim with dolphins.
89. Dance all night.
90. Invent a signature cocktail.
91. Grow a mini garden filled with lavender, roses and apple blossom.
92. Expand my classical cookery recipe book collection. (5/?) Completed.
93. Stay in a beach house.
94. Smile more.
95. Watch a black and white movie. Completed.
96. Save up and move out.
97. Go to a rave.
98. Make contacts in an industry I'm interested in.
99. Go somewhere spontaneous on a whim. Completed.
100. Camp in a forest.
101. Inspire somebody else to create a 101 goals in 1001 days list. Completed.

I loved doing this.
Let me know if you do it too!

Rusty Rockets.

Happy New Year to all my followers!!
I hope you all had an amazing New Years, mine was quite uneventful, although I had planned to go out and get crunk (crazy drunk), I ended up having a lovely lavish meal with the boyfriend quite early on in the evening then was too tired to do anything else! Sham I know.
I then ended up cracking open the bubbly, watched Indiana Jones, (the Crystal Skull one, not Harrison's finest), then watched the appalling New Years 'Celebrations' on RTE, and collapsed into bed around 1.

This outfit/makeup is from a few days ago, pre haircut. I got mine cut on New Years Eve as it so happened, not for a formal event or anything, or in time to ring in the new year (drastic hair/new year and all that), I just decided it needed to be sorted asap. From months of DIY dying, my hair needed to be just chopped, and it really saddened me to see the scissors chop off (what was left) of my long hair.

Needless to say, I was in there three hours, getting a cut, colour, treatment and blowdry, and it wasn't my best salon experience. The dye burned my scalp, and the stylist ended up giving me a Hanson-esque do, circa 1997. Anytime I tried to argue, he persisted, telling me it looked 'massive'. I walked out of there with a sore head, and an obvious and not so flattering middle parting, one of which I haven't had since I was about 7. I flipped my hair over to produce a side parting and a flowing fringe, which I am more comfortable with. Hair grows.

Here is what I wore for a day shopping the sales in good old Dundrum.

My entire outfit was cheap as chips.
Blazer and snake print top, both from Primark/Penneys.
Jeans and shoes, both from Boohoo.com

Makeup was relatively simple. I slicked on my Smashbox 15 Hour Wear Studio Foundation, topped with MAC Careblend Powder, contoured with MAC Harmony, MAC Dainty for blush, and used a few red and copper shadows from the Sleek Sunset Palette for eyes. And done!

If you want to see my new hair debut, I uploaded a YouTube Video yesterday sporting the new do.

As for my sales shopping purchases, I ended up doing most of it online, but my number one purchase was this new baby, my Sony Nex 5 :)

Hopefully my picture quality will be alot better now, new year and all that!
Hope you are all having a lovely bank holiday monday, I am actually DREADING going back to work tomorrow! Kill me now!

:)