The St. Tropez Family

I adore being tanned. It sounds so unbelievably shallow and I can't really justify it. That's just the way it is.

I have tried and tested various self tanners over the years, but for some reason never really veered towards St. Tropez. As a student, I mostly stuck to drugstore versions of tanners, as price usually became priority. Although it was the first 'major' tanning brand I had ever heard of in my youth, I took to glossy magazines and drugstores in search for the perfect St. Tropez knockoff without ever giving it a chance. I finally gave in, after years of evasion, and purchased a few products from the brand. Surprise surprise, I took quite a shine to them, and they have now become a permanent staple in my beauty product collection.

These are the ones I have at the moment.

 

The Bronzing Gel: €29.99*

 The Bronzing Mousse - €27.89

 The Gradual Tanning Moisturiser: €17.75*

 The Illuminator: €20.38

I use each of these products in a different way, depending on my mood. The gel and the mousse are quite similar in principle, but obviously completely different in consistency, texture, and slightly different in colour depth too. The gel is thicker and richer, it's kind of got a treacly nuance to it, while the mousse is lighter, aerated (obviously!) and easier to apply and blend. I find I get better colour payoff from the gel, as it gives a darker finish, and a slighter more browner tone. The mousse on the other hand is somewhat frothy and gives a paler brown, if slight coppery/rust tone to the skin. Both gel and mousse are applied using a mitt all over the face and body, after exfoliation to buff away dead skin so that the tan has a perfectly smooth canvas and base to work upon. I find applying and rinsing off after 5-6 hours gives a faultless, rich, deep tan, although the tan can easily be applied before a night out without rinsing.

The gradual tanning moisuriser is a nice way to build up a light glow, although personally I'd rather just whack the gel or mousse on because I'm an impatient person! It does moisturise quite well and I sometimes slap it on before bed, as it dries in quite quickly.

The Illuminator is such a stunning product. It's the perfect highlighter. I use this in place of MAC's Strobe Cream on my body to highlight, as it's much thicker and gives a better glow. It contains gorgeous gold particles which sparkle in the right light when applied to the right parts of the body. It's also quite thick so a little goes a long way!

 

Do you use St. Tropez?
Hope you're all well and having a lovely Tuesday!
If you have Instagram, follow me on it! @noonabean

:) x

La La Love You.

Hello!

  I love seeing Instagram updates on blogs, so I thought I'd share mine. I finally succumbed and bought an iPhone 4s after owning a tattered Samsung for years, and I am in love. So here are a few pictures of recent ventures! :)

 

Coco by Coco Chanel; the most delicious fragrance in the world, ever! | Baking cupcakes for a colleague | New Topshop Kicks
Face of the night | Soju Mojito in Izakaya | River Island dress that I didn't buy in the end!
Afternoon Tea at The Shelbourne Hotel | Jeans and Tee kind of day | Brunching with Julie at Dawson 37
River Island tee and Topshop shorts | Louboutin heaven in Brown Thomas | New treat! Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Style
Playing with Siri | Hot Pinks | New Asos Purchases

I am currently sick in bed with a bout of the vomiting bug! Boo! I did receive my huge bundle of Asos goodies yesterday which cheered me up a bit though :)

 

Hope youre all well and having a lovely tuesday!

  :) x

The Studded Leather Jacket and the Hot Pink Lip

I'm all for a bit of leather. Faux in this instance. Coming into Autumn I always don a leather jacket. I can't shake it off. And this year was no exception. 

 I spotted this number in Pull and Bear a few times over the course of the last few weeks. Pull and Bear is not a place I usually shop in, but this jacket in particular caught my eye in the window display and I fell in love. I decided that it would shake up the wardrobe a bit in the transition from Summer to Autumn, and adds a nice additional layer of warmth as the cooler months approach. The studs add just the right amount of hardware without being too much, and lately I have been wearing it with absolutely everything. 

 My day off this week felt like a hot pink lip kind of day. I have a box in my room that houses all of my lipsticks, and I delved into it in search of a perfect pink that would brighten my face up. In the end, I couldn't choose just one, and so I used numerous products to alter the shade and attain the perfect colour. I used Magenta lip liner by MAC as a base, topped it with a slick of MAC's Impassioned, then to brighten the pink tones I finished with a swipe of Idol by Topshop. 

Jacket - Pull & Bear 

Meow Tee - River Island 

Tie dye shorts - Topshop 

Sunnies - Asos 

 I have literally spent a bomb on new things recently, in one big purchase, which is currently en route to my house in a giant box. I am so excited! :) 

 Hope you have all had a lovely weekend!

 :) x

The Topshop Collar and the Gok Wan Specs

I spotted this embellished collared top in Topshop on a few occasions before finally commiting to purchase. I felt that I had enough Peter Pans in my wardrobe before adding another one. But I couldn't resist. It's a gorgeous short-sleeved little number perfectly paired with jeans or dressed up tucked into a skirt. And I adore it.

 It's a perfect fit with a sharp structure that sits in all the right places. The collar is adorned with pretty little square studs that add a bit of a wow factor to an otherwise plain white blouse. The Specs on the other hand I have had for a while. I am actually quite blind, so prescriptive glasses were required for my otherwise deteriorating eyesight. I liked the frames on these and that's why I bought them, but have since been ridiculed and derided by family and friends for looking like 'a hipster'. I don't care. I love them. And they actually make me see better. Win win. :)

 

I have been working like a loon and not doing much else, although I am planning a week away in November. I have a mountain of new lipsticks and various other products to show you, I can't seem to stop shopping. :)

If you'd like to see more regular photo updates from me follow me on Instagram (@noonabean).

 

Hope you are all having a lovely tuesday! :)

x

The Studded Zara Blazer

I passed this blazer in Zara numerous times before committing myself to purchase it. "It is too much?, too in your face?!", I thought countless times, busying myself at other shelves in the store, occasionally glancing back at the rail hung with several spiked blazers.

I eventually returned to the rail, not finding anything else in the shop that credulously piqued my interest like this spikey blazer. I rifled through, hoping they had my size, when two women picked the first one up and began chattering about it.

"Wow, that is amazing."

"But would you wear it?"

"It's stunning, but I wouldn't wear it".

And they sidled off, leaving the rack of blazers in my possession. Then I thought, why wouldn't you wear it?! It is such a statement blazer, nothing of which I have in my collection, one embellished with spikes and such. So I nabbed it and paid.

The only little teeny problem I have with this blazer is the length. I feel like it swallows me. Just a bit. But then again, I have no blazers this length, which is a good thing. The collar is a bit odd too, in the fact that there isn't really one. It doesn't have any buttons in which to fasten it up, but I like that, I think buttoned up it would look too military. On that note I don't think I have ever buttoned up a blazer! It is very structured, which I love, and fits like a glove. Overall I think it was definitely a worthy purchase.

I wore it out last weekend and received so many compliments, and I am so delighted I bought it!

Top: Topshop
Jeans: River Island
Heels: Topshop
Blazer: Zara
Necklace: Topshop

In other news, I am spending my dosh like a maniac on new ensembles. And I have succumbed and jumped back on the makeup buying bandwagon. Whoops! I think the makeup ban has lasted long enough.

So I treated myself to four new lipsticks. FOUR! Three of which are Topshop, the other, Chanel. I also bought some Inglot necessities and a Chanel perfume.

They make me happy ok!?

My Summer Beauty Essentials.

I have mentioned previously that as of late I have significantly scaled down my makeup purchases. First off, this isn't entirely true. Second, if you meet a girl who can just cut makeup out of her life and stop spending then please introduce me, I'd like to shake her hand. But thats not me. I can't do it.

I have tried to cut out buying new makeup for the main reason being, I can't wear it much. Sad I know. I would love to have a glamorous job where I can doll myself up every day in expensive foundation and sharp, chic suits, but unfortunately for me, that's not the career path I chose. I don chef whites and work with 6 other guys in a hot kitchen in a fine dining restaurant in Dublin city six days a week. When I'm not doing that however, there is nothing more I love than dolling myself up in expensive foundation. Not sharp suits though. That just ain't me.

Over the past few weeks I have infact bought a teeny few makeup things. Whoopsie! And I'm so happy that they are all things I adore. During the summer, I love being tanned, I feel healthy when Im tanned, which is a bit ridiculous and shallow, but it's true. I love having bronzed and glowy skin, as I feel I can get away with wearing a minimal amount of makeup.

My essentials for summer are simple. Bronzed face, chic hair, balmy lips, dewy skin, bare eyes, big lashes.  And that's pretty much it.

I have been told in the past to embrace the pale, as I am naturally quite pale, but to be honest, I feel so much happier when I'm all glowy and bronzed.  I love using the St. Tropez combo when I actually have the time to tan. You know, exfoliate, apply, wait 6 hours, wash off, the whole shebang. I would rather do it all it one sitting, than let it develop overnight. I really can't fathom the stained sheets in the morning! The mousse is perfect, and the illuminator gives a subtle sheer glow. When I don't have the time, I use this Sublime Bronze Spray by L'Oreal, it's so quick, you just spray, and it develops over the course of the day, doesn't leave streaks, and actually smells really pleasant. A tan that smells nice?! Believe it.

Lately, I have been using this Tresemmé hairspray to fix my locks in place when I throw it up, usually in a Lily Bee Bun fashion. It's miniature size, and perfect for on the go. It smells delicious, and gives a perfect, firm hold.

Stobe cream by MAC is perfect for adding subtle highlights to the skin to give it a dewy finish. I apply this on my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and a teeny bit above my top lip. Instant highlight.

I find with mascaras, I use up one, and never repurchase it. The new ScandalEyes mascara by Rimmel is amazing for giving volume and oomph to lashes. Love, and quite possibly will repurchase!

And to lips. I purchased the new 1000 kisses  Lip Tint and Balm by Rimmel in two colours; Endless Blossom and Nothing but Nude. Unfortunately for Rimmel, I prefer just using the balm at the top, with a lipstick of mine that had been banished to the back of the shelf out of sheer dislike. MAC's Myth is something I have had a hatred for for quite a while. I briefly mentioned my distaste for the Satin finish in this post, but now I find it quite wearable paired with a balm. It doesn't make my lips look dry, but glossy, and I have been on a search for a glossy wearable nude for a while. I pair these together and feel very Kimberley from Made in Chelsea. If you don't know what I'm talking about, google her! Not sure why I feel like that, but I do.

I usually throw on a blush or some gel liner, but these are the basics.

 I can't believe it's nearly August already!! What are your summer beauty essentials?

x

Into the White.

Hello all! Hope everyones well, and hello to my new followers!

I have scaled down the makeup buys quite a bit recently, which I'm quite proud of, although my full attention has turned to purchasing new clothes, hello Zara sale! How the tables have turned! I have become a mad woman, once I pick something up I like, thats it, say goodbye to the rest of the day, we're going on a shopping binge. I can't stop. On my break on Friday I went crazy in town, it was pay day after all, and I scoured out H&M, Zara, Topshop and River Island, and left them all with a massive bag of buys in tow. Here are my favourite purchases.

I've been loving big necklaces lately, and got these ones from Topshop and H&M. The flats are from Topshop, €10 on sale! The shirt is from Zara, down from €70 to €20. The little buttons are actually tiny skulls, which makes me feel very Alexander McQueen. And the heels. MY GOD. I debated with myself whether to get these or not, because they hurt a teeny bit, but I absolutely love them. So glad I got them. Also from Zara. :)

I love reading Instagram update posts, and so I thought I'd share mine, now that I am the proud owner of a beautiful new iPhone.

Asos Heels | Tshirt Dress | 7am sky | Chanel things

New Dessert on the menu, Strawberry Plate | Makeup Mess | Dressing for dinner | Chocolate Pave

Sunday Breakfast; Buttermilk Pancakes, Maple Bacon, Poached Nectarines and Vanilla Yoghurt | Blazing | New Purchases | Rhubarb, Ginger and Rose Trifles

Thank you for reading! Hope you are all having a lovely week :)

x