XMAS OUTFIT

             

Just a quick outfit post of what I wore St Stephens night! Dress is from Penneys about a year ago! Sorry for the short post I'm hungover (again) while writing this!

I'm enjoying the Christmas period at the minute so it'll be outfit posts for the next week, Normal posts will resume in the new year! 

I hope you're all having a good christmas and I'll talk to you soon.

PowderPocket Launch Box* - Ireland's First Beauty Subscription Box

Today I have an exciting post! I've always been a fan of beauty subscription boxes and have always been jealous of the UK girls as they have a few different beauty boxes to choose from. Although some ship to Ireland it ends up being a little too expensive for what it is. 

When I spotted a new beauty box was being launched in Ireland I tweeted about how I couldn't wait for them to launch so I could see what the box was like before subbing. Powderpocket actually messaged me then asking if they could send their launch box to me. I MEAN WHO WOULD SAY NO?!

Cocoa Brown Chocolate Whip Oil Free Moisturiser* Review

As a beauty blogger its not often I'm 100% loyal to a company, yes I love certain products but as soon as a new product comes out I'll choose to buy the newer product to try rather than my usual one. 

But since trying Cocoa Brown when it first came out - a year ago - another tan hasn't touched my body. Anytime I see anyone asking for a tan recommendation I'm nearly in their faces screaming 'COCOA BROWN COCOA BROWN!', and its not just tan, I'm loyal to the company as a whole. Its not often I love every single product a company brings out.

I haven't used another exfoliator since using Tough Stuff. And now, I won't be using another moisturiser!

I Heart Drugstore Makeup Tag

I was tagged by Charlotte from  http://littlemissclouise.blogspot.co.uk she's one of my favourite bloggers and is such a lovely girl so definitely check her out!

This tag is all about drugstore makeup so let's get into the questions!..

What's your favourite drugstore brand?

Ooh that's a hard one! Probably a tie between Rimmel and Maybelline.

Catrice have quite a lot of products I'm really interested to try. 

What are your favourite face, cheek and lip products?

Face: Probably my foundation. At the minute I'm using the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation and have been really impressed. I've repurchased it twice and I'm about to get my third bottle!

Cheek: I'm loving the Sleek Contour Kit at the minute. It's the cheek kit I use everyday! 

Lip: Hands down the Revlon lip butters! Amaze.

Least favourite product?

This is a hard one too. Lately I haven't really been liking the finish the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder gives. I don't know what it is it just doesn't look good! That's the only product that pops to my head when I think of least favourite! 

Ooh also I bought one Barry M nail polish in a peachy colour and was NOT impressed. It was so sheer it needed a million coats and ended up thick looking and took forever to dry. I won't be trying another.

Best make-up bargain?

When I found out essence were discontinuing their gel liner I was devastated, I managed to find one in the clearance basket for like €1 or something ridiculous like that. I was delighted! Haven't been able to find any since though :(

What's your favourite underdog product?

I would say the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealor.

It's so underrated. I bought it after seeing a well known YouTuber recommend it and I was so impressed. It's amazing, how more people don't rave about it I don't know! 

Over priced drugstore product?

Probably the Max Factor mascaras. That's the only thing I can think of.

Drugstore dupes?

Catrice have a great nude palette that I would call a cheaper Naked palette. Been eyeing this for a while to try now!

Drugstore products that aren't really worth the hype?

I've never gotten the hype with the apocalips by Rimmel. Maybe it's just because I'm not a lipgloss fan.

I tag everyone who reads this to do it :)

OOTD feat OMGFashion & New Look

      

     

hellooo strangers,

I know, I know I haven't done a post in yonks! But rest assured I've gotten my arse in gear and I'm back in business!

I wore this outfit last night, me and a friend went for a Chinese (all you can eat.. A tight skirt was not my best idea!) and then met up with another friend for drinks! It was a surprisingly good night for a Sunday but I'm paying for it today! 

My skirt is a black and gold sequin skirt* from omgfashion. I loooovee this skirt! I got quite a few compliments on it too! The one thing I wish I could change is that I wish it was a little bit longer so I could wear it higher up on my waist without showing my bum. Other than that I love it! I paired it with a plain black tee from good oul Penneys, a pair of black tights and my New Look gold buckle wedges. I threw a black blazer on top because it was FREEEZZINN'. The only jewellery I wore was a few bracelets from Penneys and my black inverted triangle necklace from eBay. 

I apologise if the layout of this post is a bit crap, I'm posting it from the Blogger app on my phone and we all know how crap that app is!

Also sorry the photos are crap I'm still trying to find a good place to take outfit photos!

Emma xo

Lilac Sparkle Nails

                 

Hask Keratin Protein Smoothing Shampoo*, Conditioner* and Smoothing Mask* Review

I was really excited when I heard Hask were introducing shampoos and conditioners to their hair care range. I've used their Argan Oil and their Macademia Hot Oil Mask before and was really happy with their effects.

Today I have the Keratin Protein Smoothing Shampoo*, Conditioner* and Mask* to share with you all.

I really love the packaging of the shampoo and conditioner. For some reason they just look so much more pretty and interesting on my bathroom shelf than other shampoo/conditioners. They just look more expensive/luxurious than, for example, L'Oreal packaging. There is also an Argan Oil based Shampoo and Conditioner in the range which I will be sharing with you very soon once I've used up these two!

There isn't a super strong scent, the scent reminds me of a L'oreal Shampoo and Conditioner I've used before, I think its the one in the red packaging? Anyway, its not a gross smell but you're not gonna smell it and go oh my god thats amazing. I do wish they had a nice lingering scent!

I did notice my hair looked and felt a lot better after using this. Its usually quite crazy with lots of flyaway after blowdrying but it did look a lot more smooth and in control! 

I've never been someone who repurchases a specific shampoo or conditioner, I usually just use whatever is there but I really do think I'll repurchase either this one (unless I like the Argan Oil one more).

Im not 100% sure of the price these will be, but I've tweeted Hask to ask so I'll update once I find out!

Now onto the hair mask! First off all the packaging. I'm not a fan of when hair masks come in sachets. Because there is so much product in the satchet (I ain't complaining about excess product mind you!) I had quite a lot left over and you can't reseal it. I was just worried about the satchet leaking all over my bathroom shelves. I ended up cleaning out an small old soap and glory tub and squeezing the rest of the product into it. Its just easier for storing. 

I do think they need to make tubes or tubs of this AS WELL as the satchets as they're handy for first timers to try out the product and see how they like it before committing to a tube or tub. 

I left this on for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off. While rinsing it off I did notice how soft and smooth my hair felt. I LOVE that feeling! My hair usually feels dry and tangly when I'm rinsing out my shampoo or conditioner but I love rinsing off masks because of how smooth, soft and non tangly my hair feels! 

Again I did notice how smooth my hair looked compared to how whispy and dry it feels after blowdrying it.

I think these are great to have in your bathroom when you feel like your hair needs a treat, at only €2-3 a pop plus with the amount of product you get they really are worth it! You can find these in Penneys and pharmacys all over Ireland!

Emma xo

Candy Pink and White Stripe Nail Art Design

I'm back with another nail post!

Today's is a cute and pretty nail art design!

I just want to apologise in advance for the watermarks, I know they're hideous but I've recently discovered they're necessary. I spotted one of my nail photos on google images, when I clicked it, it brought me to some random blog/website where my photo was featured in a post. There was no mention that it was not their photo or any credit given to me, they never even asked my permission to use it. It might not sound like a big deal but I worked hard on that nail design and the fact that google images leads people to that website and NOT me pisses me off. I did the work but they get the benefits. No thanks.

This design is beyond easy. I should mention I had one of the girls in work do it for me because I know I'd mess it up if I did it on myself! Mine is done with Shellac but you can use normal polish, just make sure you wait for the layers to dry before attempting the nail art.

Paint all your nails except the ring fingers pink. Paint the ring fingers white. Draw 3 horizontal lines along your ring finger in the same pink colour used on the other nails. Finally paint a little heart in green on your ring finger. Apply a top coat for longevity and shine. VOILA. Bish bash bosh you're done.

Emma x

eBay Makeup Brushes - Beginner, Travel or Christmas Gift Brush Set

hey girls/guys, for a long time now I've been lusting after the Sigma Essential 'Make Me...' sets. I just happened to be window shopping on eBay when I spotted these makeup brushes that came in a similar brush holder that the Sigma brushes come in. At €13 they were A LOT cheaper than the Sigma brushes.

Curiousity got the better of me and of course I had to order them to see how the quality was. For €13 I wasn't expecting much.

(link to item/seller at end of post)

 Because they came from Hong Kong they took about 4 weeks to get to Ireland, when they finally arrived I was plesantly surprised by the quality. I expected the hairs to be falling out once I opened it. Now I'm not saying they're MAC or Sigma quality but they're pretty damn good for the price. I did my Mams makeup for a party she was going to with these and they did a great job! 

The set comes with 13 brushes

- a powder

- a stippling brush

- an angled powder brush

- a foundation brush

- 2 eyeshadow brushes

- 1 angled eyeshadow brush

- 2 crease brushes (1 densely packed the other fluffier)

- 1 stiffer brush I like to use for applying eyeshadow under the eye

- an angled brush 

- an eyeliner brush

- a mascara spooly

They come in a leather cylinder case which can be used as 2 brush holders.

Its so handy for travelling. Because its a 'hard' case it will protect your brushes. I think it would be great if you had a more expensive set of brushes and didn't want them to get broken in your case. You can always buy the set and just use the cylinder case, its worth it for €13 for travelling.

If you're just starting out or would like a spare set of brushes for travelling etc then I definitely recommend this set. I think they'd be a great christmas gift for makeup lovers or teenage girls just starting to get into makeup. 

You can find the specific set/seller I bought from here.

Emma x

A/W '13 Fashion Wishlist

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |

Of course I had to include a heap of sweaters!

A/W is not the same without a onesie. Yes you look like a giant baby but who cares. They're fun. I really want this Stitch one! The eBay seller has tons of different animal type ones!

I am in love with these Nike runners! Of course I would pick the pink ones!

I've actually already bought the new look black wedges but decided to include them anyway because I love them so much!

I've always loved the look of these cuffs and only recently bought my first from eBay, now I'm lusting after this one!

And finally I had to include a scarf, A/W in Ireland is not complete without a scarf! I love the colour of this one from Boohoo.

I'm sure there are plenty more items I'd like for autumn/winter but these are the items I've saved to my WantWorthy account (seriously if you haven't tried this website its amazing).

Wantworthy is perfect for saving any items you spot on a website to go back and get later. Its really easy, you make an account, install the button on your toolbar (it tells you how to do this) then everytime you click on an item on a shopping site that you want, you simply press the WANT button on your toolbar and it saves the item to your wantworth account. When you log in the photos of all the items you want comes up and you can click on them to take you to the exact website page to buy them! Easy. 

So thats my A/W wishlist! If you have a post like this please share it in the comments because I'm sure I'll want half the stuff on yours too!

Emma xo

Garnier Moisture Match - Start Afresh Normal to Dry Skin Review

The only moisturiser I've ever used and felt made a difference to my skin was the Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream, eventually it ran out and I didn't fancy spending that amount again so I decided to see what the drugstore had to offer, deciding that if I didn't like anything I could always just repurchase my Dermalogica.

I decided to pick up the Garnier Moisture Match for 'Normal to Dry Skin' as it was on sale in Sam McCauleys Chemist.

I would have relatively dry skin but didn't want anything too thick for everyday use. 

There are 5 types to choose from

Goodbye Dry (dry to very dry skin)

Start Afresh (normal to dry skin)

Shine Be Gone (combination to oily skin)

Wake Me Up (dull skin)

Protect & Glow (normal skin)

So, what did I think of the Start Afresh moisturiser?

I actually really like the packaging. The size is perfect to fit into my makeup bag or handbag. I much prefer a squeezy tube over a tub as its more hygenic.

The texture is quite odd, its like a mixture between a gel and a cream. It looks and spreads like a cream on the skin but it feels cooling, refreshing and just amazing when applying it. It also soaks in really fast.

My skin feels instantly hydrated and when combined with regular exfoliation my skin stays super smooth. 

I really really like this moisturiser! 

I will more than likely be repurchasing this again as I really do love it! I might also pick up the one for 'Goodbye Dry' to use at night for extra hydration or maybe the 'Wake Me Up' for dull skin days. They're cheap enough to be able to afford two!

You can shop the entire range on boots.ie here for €7.99

or on SamMcCauley.com here for €8.99

Have you tried any of the moisture match moisturisers?

Emma xo

Sleek Brow Kit Review

For a while now I've been using a dark brown eyeshadow to fill in my brows with an angled makeup brush. After about 2 years of this, I finally decided to invest in an eyebrow kit, I did buy one while I was in college from Fuschia Makeup but as my hair was pretty much black back then its become too dark for me now. 

I decided to try the Sleek Brow Kit in Dark (duuh). It comes with 2 products, a dark brown powder and a dark brown wax. The powder is used to fill in your brows and the wax to keep them in place. The kit also comes with 2 brushes (including an angled one) and a mini tweezers all for €9.50. I've used this a few times now so what did I think of it?

First of all, the packaging. I love the sleek (excuse the pun) black packaging. I do think its a lot bulkier than I expected but I guess that just means its quite sturdy and durable although I haven't dropped it (yet) so I can't comment on that aspect.

Now according to the general instructions I've heard you're supposed to apply the wax with the angled brush and then fill in your brows with the other brush with the powder. Nah nah nah this isn't how I do it.

I'd rather just stick to what I know. I prefer to apply the powder with my own angled brushes (I'm not a fan of the brushes that come in the kit, they're too small and finicky) and then apply a small amount of the wax with the small angled brush. 

I don't use much wax anyway as I dont have unruly brows so it works best for me to apply the wax last, it just seems odd to apply the wax and then put powder over it? I'm imagining the powder clumping in the wax and causing just pure grossness on the eyebrows haha.

As I mentioned above I don't like the brushes that came with the kit, the other brush (non angled) is odd. Its not like soft fluffy bristles, its got the kind of bristles you'd find on a foundation or concealor brush. 

The brushes are fine in a brow emergency but I prefer to use my own brushes.

The tweezers aren't much use either which I was disappointed about. They'd be handy for any of those stray hairs you spot in the car. They're far too stiff and so you can't grab any hair. Maybe its because they've been held together by an elastic band in the packaging and after a while, they'll loosen up but we'll see!

The powder isn't quite as dark as my usual powder but I'll get used to it. I imagine if you have darker hair than mine or black then these kits aren't for you, I do think they should introduce and extra dark kit. 

Anyway I do like this kit and will continue to use it!

If anyone wants a tutorial kind of post/video on how I fill in my eyebrows please let me know. Also I'm thinking of doing a how to grow your eyebrows post as mine were quite thin in December/January and have thickened up a lot! Let me know!

Emma xo

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge Review - Beauty Blender Dupe???

For a while now I've considered buying the beauty blender but to be honest I couldn't bring myself to pay that much for a sponge.

So while browsing Cloud10Beauty website I spotted a HUGE ad on their homepage advertising the new Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, I didn't even know RT were coming out with a beauty blender dupe so of course I had to go have a gawk. When I spotted the price €5.99 I had to add it to my basket!

My packaging got a little bashed up in the post!

 The sponge itself is quite a unique shape compared to the Beauty Blender, it has a flat side which is great for getting under the eyes and the sides of the nose.

To use, you basically hold the sponge under water, you do have to hold it for about a minute for it to expand fully and then you squeeze the water out, I also placed it in a towel and squeezed to make sure it was just slightly damp, not wet.

Then I squirted my foundation onto the back of my hand, patted the sponge on top and started to work it onto my face. I bounced the sponge along my skin occasionally 'rubbing' along my hairline to blend. 

The result? HOLY CRAP I WILL NEVER USE A MAKEUP BRUSH AGAIN.

I find blending with a brush tends to drag the foundation along my skin, leaving streaks and basically removing the makeup from my skin, I've used a buffing brush also (the sigma one) and found stippling left little dots on my makeup from the tips of the bristles. This sponge just leaves a perfect, flawless application.

I've only used it once (last night) and didn't have time to take a photo of my makeup afterwards (I was rushing out to dinner with a friend) but keep an eye out for any future makeup looks/face of the days as this sponge will definitely be used in them!

Have any of you tried either this sponge or the beauty blender? 

Are you pro makeup brushes or pro sponges?

Emma xo

Rimmel Waterproof Gel Eyeliner

Most of you know I love my liner. I much prefer gel over liquid. I find liquid to be messy. 

For years I've been using the Essence gel liner and was devastated when it was discontinued, that loss started my hunt for a new liner. Starting with the Rimmel Waterproof Gel Liner.

*please excuse the fact the brush has been used. Bad blogger*

First off lets talk packaging. The product comes in a glass jar with a plastic oddly shaped lid. The top of the lid holds a brush. You pull the brush out, and you can attach it to the end of the lid to make a longer handle. Now, here's my problem, if you do attach it, the wide part of the lid gets in the way. If you choose not to attach it to the lid the brush is slightly too short.

I'd much prefer if it had a normal lid. I do like that a brush has been included but I wish it was separate. 

Application wise, it applies amazingly well. It glides on like a liquid with no pulling or tugging on your skin. There's no need to swirl or work the product around to soften before application. 

It does take a lot longer to dry than other gels though so you have to be careful for a few minutes after applying. It doesn't seem to last the whole day which I'm disappointed with. Especially since it claims to be waterproof. By the end of a busy work day it's faded and smudges if you touch it.

If the formula was longer lasting it would be perfect!

I'll continue to use it until I try a new one but whether I'll repurchase I'm not sure..

If any of you have any gel liner recommendations I'd really appreciate it!

Emma xo

Revlon Lip Butter Wild Watermelon*

A while ago I reviewed my very first Revlon Lip Butter, In that post I mentioned I wanted to try some of the other colours, someone in the comments mentioned Wild Watermelon. I'd been meaning to pick it up so when my friend gave me a few beauty related goodies for my birthday I was delighted to see the Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon* was included.

I am OBSESSED. Seriously oh my freakin god I love these things!

I have such dry lips so a lot of lipsticks end up going flaky looking on me.

On My Face: Brown Metallic Smokey Eye

Hello on the rare occasion that I decided to wear eyeshadow I thought I'd snap a few photos to share with you all. The first two were taken before I straightened my hair and the second two afterwards, both were taken in the same spot. It weird how much the lighting changed in the space of about 30 mins!

If you want a tutorial on this look I could probably do it just let me know.

Emma xo

Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix : The Easiest Cookies Ever

Hi everyone so todays post is going to be a little different than usual. I'd love to do more baking/cooking posts but lets be honest, even though I love the thought of baking, I can't be bothered with all the messiness of mixing flour and eggs and all that malarky. 

So, when my Mam brought home this Betty Crocker cookie kit (she knows I like baking but I'm basically too lazy to haha) I was excited to try it..well actually I was excited to eat them!

Yes thats right you only need 3 ingredients. Vegetable Oil, Waer and an Egg. All of these are things you would usually have at home so you really dont need to buy anything else other than this little kit.

It all comes in a bag. You pour the mix into a bowl and add the extra ingredients.

You can mix it with a spoon but it started to get annoying so I just used my hands. Its so much faster.

Once it formed a dough I just took a few small balls of it, placed it on the baking tray and flattened them out. Now I made the mistake of making these raw cookies normal cookie size and by the time they cooked they expanded. I'd recommend making them smaller than you want them to be.

Then you pop them in the oven and wait 10 minutes.

Seriously these are so freakin good. They didnt last very long on the kitchen counter.. mainly because I ate A LOT of them. I feel guilty (I don't really).

I think these are handy to keep in the cupboard for quick baking. Whip em up super fast before heading to a friends for tea, hey you could even be naughty and say they're homemade. Technically you did make them at home ;)

Emma xo

I Had Surgery! i.e Why I Haven't Been Posting

Hi guys I'm just writing a quick post from my iPhone blogger app to explain why I haven't been posting, after my last update post I had planned so many beauty, fashion and lifestyle posts but then I received another out of the blue appointment to have my tonsils removed. In the last post I explained how my previous appointment had been cancelled.

I've been in a lot of pain and discomfort the last few days and I'm beginning what's considered 'the worst' few days pain wise (when the scabs start to come off).

Tonsillectomies in adults are a lot different recovery wise than in kids. While most kids bounce back quite fast, it takes a lot longer for adults to recover as the tonsils are generally a lot larger and more deep rooted. 

To be honest I'm getting sick of the recovery at this stage and just want to be better. Most days I just want to sleep all day so I don't have to deal with the pain and sickness. Maybe once I'm feeling better I can do a post detailing my experience and any helpful tips I've come to realise for anyone else who is considering or expecting to have the surgery. Please let me know if this would be helpful.

You can follow me on twitter if you want to keep updated with how I'm feeling and when I'll be back posting. My username is @efxoemma. 

Emma xo

Life Update - M.I.A, New Puppy, Surgery Rant & More

I know, I know. I've been gone forever. Well 2 weeks to be exact.

I've been feeling very uninspired and unmotivated lately.

BUT I just decided to force myself back into posting and decided to start with an update post as I've a few things to share..