September Favourites

September favourites and the last day of #SBBC. It's been a fantastic month and I actually really enjoyed the challenge to blog every day- the topics chosen by Girl Friday were fantastic- something different each day and I found that it encouraged me to write about things I may not have thought of otherwise. Plus it's been brilliant to see everyone else's take on the same topics- it's highlighted what a talented bunch of bloggers are out there and how we all see things in our own unique ways, which is pretty cool. Anyways, on to the topic at hand! Favourites!

Mac Powersurge Eye Pencil. This is probably my favourite eye pencil ever, I've worn it for years but put it away in favour of others until the last month or so. I then wore this every day throughout September! It creates a lovely smudgey burnished gold/smokey brown around the eye and generally I just apply mascara and then I'm done. Easiest eye look ever.

I did a full review of Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner HERE so I won't go into detail but really any time I didn't used this this month, I felt it's loss and went straight back to it.

No.7 Blush in Soft Damson. I received this at the Cocoa Brown Tan event recently, along with some other No.7 goodies and being the blusher fanatic that I am, decided to give this a go first. I wouldn't generally gravitate towards No.7 as a brand but I have to say this is a really lovely product. A nice flattering shade of pink, there's no sparkle in there so if you're going for a more natural look (as I have been this month) then this is perfect. Dani from The Glamour Nazi has a full review of it HERE, if you want to find out more.

I've been using Hydraluron a lot this month- I bought it at the end of August and have applied it every morning before my moisturiser. I'm not one hundred per cent sure yet how effective it's been so I'm going to give it another couple of weeks and do a full review then. The basic idea with this is that it's pure hyaluronic acid, which supposedly does wonders for dry skin. So far I am liking it but I  just want to be a bit more thorough before committing myself completely!

Lastly, although I got this towards the end of the month, I've been loving this limited edition bag from Penneys. Yes, it's huge but it fits all of my odds and ends and it looks way more expensive than it was. Plus, that front pocket is actually a bag itself that zips off, leaving you with a clutch. Nifty! This for me, is the perfect bag for the colder months ahead as it'll hold all of my Winter accoutrement- scarf, gloves, hat, tissues, olbas oil and random gatherings of change for coffee. 

What's been your favourite product this month? Have you tried any of this lot? 

XX

I Heart The 1940's

#SBBC day 29 is to describe "an era you would have lived in and why- what attracts you to that time" and for me, that's the 40's. I've always been really interested in WW2- the war itself, the lives of those left at home, particularly women, who stepped up and took over the traditional "men's roles", such as factory work and farming. On a personal level of course, I love all the nursing propaganda from the time such as these:

I actually have that one on the left on my wall.

Because I love all of that stuff, I'm aware that it was a decade of hard work and general misery, so I'm in no way suggesting that the following are indicative of the time but I do love the associated glamour and style of the 40's. Red lips, victory rolls in hair, women drawing black lines on their calves in lieu of actual tights, tea dresses, capped sleeves, tailored skirts, jaunty hats and solid leather loafers. Glorious.

It's a look I love and seems to be one of those styles that doesn't go out of fashion- it screams Hollywood movie star and with good reason as proved by these ladies:

They sure don't make 'em like they used to but here are some modern takes on the look:

Scarlett Johansson gets her own section cause she rocks the look rather a lot.

Cest Ca. What's your favourite era and why?

XX

SBBC Day 27: Most Expensive Make Up Item

I do love the more high end make up but generally hold myself back unless it's something I've been lusting after for a long time. I'm not sure if these two are even the priciest I've bought but they're the two that sprang to mind when I saw today's #SBBC challenge, so here goes!

Tom Ford Lipstick: True Coral

This is a truly beautiful lipstick. Firstly, look at that packaging. It just screams luxury. That aside, the formula is fantastic. It is long lasting but most definitely needs to be topped up after eating a meal and should be applied on to non-dry skin. Saying that, I think it's worth the little bit of extra effort in applying it as it is one of those colours that lifts my entire complexion. The first time I put it on, I exclaimed loudly when I looked in the mirror because it really is that effective. I usually wear this with a slick of black eyeliner and lots of mascara and minimal blusher- basically I let the coral do the talking. This is on the dearer side for a lipstick as it's priced around the €40 mark (although it's currently on sale on the HoF website HERE). It definitely is not something I would be spending on regularly but as a once off treat, I think it's acceptable. Plus everyone should have at least one item of Tom Ford make up in their life! 

For some reason this won't photograph how it is IRL..it's actually almost neon bright.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Make Up Base
I'm not showing you my own here because it's well used and has a few brush hairs in it that look a bit unsightly. Anyways, I use mine primarily as a bronzing base for under make up. I find it gives me a nice glow through my foundation and I generally bring it down onto my neck too. In Summer or when I wear tan I often blend some over my foundation in that "3" shape- around the temples, cheek bones and jawline and it does give a good bronzed look. People often say they're worried about using it because it is such a strongly pigmented product but because it's a cream-gel consistency it blends very easily and leaves your make-up looking a bit more radiant. Boots.ie price this at €38.50 which actually doesn't seem like that much now I realise I've had this well over a year and have yet to hit pan on it.

What's your most expensive item of make-up?

XX

A Very Happy Memory..

Today's #SBBC post is "a happy memory and what reminds you of it" and I instantly thought of my wedding day and my little Lego people cake toppers. We're both big kids at heart and loved Lego when we were small so it made sense to pick these guys but aside from that, the fact that the groom looks so ridiculously like my husband made it all the more appropriate. I added a birdcage veil and a little red cross onto the bride to make it a bit more me and happily they sat on top of our delicious four-tiered cake (lemon drizzle, chocolate ganache, carrot cake and chocolate biscuit, in case you were wondering). 

Now our little mini me's live on our mantelpiece, along with their altar and Lego flowers and every time I go into our sitting room, I see them and am reminded of my wonderful wedding day. They are possibly my favourite thing that we own actually, not only because of the memories they evoke but because they are very "us", something I would also say about our wedding day- it was perfect for us as a couple and I think these represent that more than any other mementos of the day that we have.

XX

The Best Online Stores

I'm one of those people that gets weary when shopping- I get cranky, like a small child and begin to lose patience. Even with myself. So I generally try and avoid actual in-real-life shopping, prefering the comfort of my own home, my laptop and a big old mug of tea (chocolate biscuits may also feature quite strongly). These are my favourite online sites for shopping, most of these are particularly great in the run-up to Christmas by the way, in case anyone out there has, like me, already started their Christmas present-buying. I know, I'm a weirdo but I like to be organised! 

Not On The High Street.com

As a side note, I have bought all of the above items, except for the red print, top left (and that's on my wish list). The ones I have bought were excellent quality and all rather lovely.

Not on The High Street.com is one of the best places to go for quirky presents- something a little bit different for the person who has everything. It's comprised of many different sellers so you're getting a great variety and you can find everything from wedding, birthday, Christmas, christening, engagement and anniversary presents to homeware and garden items. The only downside is that you can get badly stung on p & p as it's a UK based site and for some reason that means that you end up paying an extortionate amount. I've avoided that issue by signing up with Parcel motel, however.

Cloud 10 Beauty

Cloud 10 Beauty is my go-to for beauty products such as Sleek, Seche vite, Real Techniques, Nuxe and OPI, amongst others. What I love about Cloud 10 is the excellent service- any time I visit the site, someone pops up to ask if you need any help and if you'd like to hear about the special offers for that day. Then even when I get standard delivery I usually have my order by the next day or the day after! Also, you can review your products on the site to get bonus points, which you can add up and use to get money off your next order. Overall it shows that you, as a customer are important to them and I really appreciate that.

The Book Depository

All great reads and selling on the site for really decent prices.

The Book Depository is great because of the free delivery mainly. I used to buy my books from play.com back in the day but then they were taken over or whatever and only seemed to be selling nonsense that I didn't want. Now I probably prefer the likes of Amazon as the selection tends to be very good but you can't argue with the old free delivery on The Book Depository.

Etsy

I'm a recent convert to Etsy. One day I went looking for statement necklaces on there and got sucked into a vortex of clothing, art work, greetings cards and home decor. It really is its own little wonderland. You can find plenty of reasonably priced and unique items on there if you give it a good rummage.

Other than that, I like all the usual- Topshop, Oasis, Warehouse, Asos. 

What about you? Any of those tickle your fancy or do you have any better recommendations for me?

XX

An Ode To Bourjois

Today's #SBBC is a brand highlight- your favourite brand, what they do well and what you're looking forward to getting from them. 

I love many, many brands but if I had to pick just one it would have to be Bourjois. I tend to make a beeline for it every time I go into a Boots and I generally never leave empty handed. The reason why I love it so much is that it tends to be very good quality and yet reasonably priced. The packaging is always lovely and there's a general retro cuteness to the brand that appeals to me. Here's what I'm currently using from Bourjois:

I wrote a full review of the Rouge Edition lipstick HERE. 

I'm also really liking their Cream Blush in 01. Although it isn't the most long lasting, it's easy to apply and a flattering shade. Plus it's great to just throw in your bag when on the move. 

I originally bought Healthy mix Serum after I'd gotten out of hospital and it really did nothing for my skin. I've since realised that trialing a new foundation when you're still not 100% health-wise is a mistake so I gave it another go this month and have been loving it. It's probably not as much coverage as I would normally like but it's a great daytime foundation that perks up the complexion nicely. 

1 Second Magic Nail Polish Remover. There was huge hype about this when it was first released and as usual, I gave it a bit of a wide berth until that had all settled down. When I finally tried it I really liked it, it is certainly a time saver and very handy (ha) for travelling. 

Volumiser mascara. This isn't my favourite Bourjois mascara but I still liked it. It's one of those two-step doohickeys, step one is for daytime lashes and step two for more dramatic night-time lashes. Personally, I prefer to have dramatic lashes all the time so I never used the first step but I quite liked step two- it gave great lift and volume. 

Healthy Mix concealer, I also reviewed HERE. 

Lastly, Shimmering Shine liquid Eyeshadow. I use this on a daily basis, it's very light but still quite pigmented and is a great shade for blue eyes. It's super easy to apply, in fact it's foolproof- I just lash it on with the applicator, blend it in with my finger and I'm away.

I'm looking forward to finally picking up a Paris colour Boost Lip Crayon (I just have to decide on a shade! So indecisive), a Blush Exclusif (a blush that reacts to your skin's pH to give you a shade unique to you..I'm a sucker for a gimmick) and Java Rice Loose Powder (illuminating powder, in one of the brands original designs from way back in the day).

Paris colour Boost Lip Crayon, Blush Exclusif, Java Rice Loose Powder. 

Are you a Bourjois fan too? What's your favourite brand?

XX

J'adore L'Or

I am a massive perfume lover so I originally thought that picking my signature scent for today's #SBBC post would be difficult but actually when I really considered it I realised that J'adore L'Or from Dior (part of my anniversary present last month- the original J'adore was my wedding day perfume) is most definitely the one. 

Clutching it there for dear life.

Obviously I love the original J'adore and L'Or was apparently "inspired by" it's predecessor but for me, they're two completely different scents. J'adore is a fruity/floral while L'Or is more floral/oriental. The top note of Rose de mai hits you on first spray, once that wears off beautiful Jasmine de grasse remains on the skin for several hours. Lastly, a base note of Tahitian vanilla takes over- you're supposed to be able to smell this on your clothes months after you've sprayed it and I would one hundred per cent agree with this- it's the most long lasting perfume I've even worn. Although it's fairly pricey, you actually only need to spray it once and it lasts throughout the entire day. I've been complimented on this perfume every time I've worn it, it seems to be quite appealing to other people, which surprises me as I see it as being quite a strong scent. In fact, that's why I love it so much and why I consider it my signature perfume- I really like floral scents but they have to have an edge for me to wear them- I dislike anything too sickly sweet so what I love about this is the good old whack of vanilla that's in there- it adds a lovely warmth to the other quite feminine notes. 

Interestingly, this is called L'Or because it's inspired by gold- from the lid to the "liquid gold" appearance of the perfume itself and the sheer quality of the olfactory notes. 

This truly is a beautiful scent, if you haven't experienced it yet, I urge you to go and try it immediately, it's just divine.

What's your signature scent?

XX

Shopping My Stash: Nars Lip Laquer in Hot Wired

Todays #SBBC post is about "Shopping your Stash", or what we beauty junkies like to call "being on a spending ban". I could've picked anything for this really but decided to go with this little lovely from Nars. Hot Wired is a bright fuchsia pink with flecks of blue shimmer running through it in a jelly/gloss finish. 

Normally I wouldn't be a big fan of a lip product that has the word "shimmer" associated it but this is different- it's more of an iridescence and it isn't hugely noticeable on the lips. If anything, it just helps to emphasise the whiteness of your teeth. 

Because it's in a pot, you could be forgiven for thinking this is a balm type of product but really, it does require a bit of precision in applying it as it is quite pigmented. I would also say that it wears quite well and is long lasting once on the lips but does need topping up after eating etc. 

It is super pretty and can be worn lightly for a flattering wash of pink or built up for a pop of colour. 

XX

10 Products Under £10

Today's #SBBC is 10 products under 10 euro and as easy as it would have been to raid my own stash for this, I unfortunately don't have the time today to rummage through my Helmer in search of bargains. Instead, I've had a good look around some online shops and came up with these:

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, 6.49. I went through several tubes of this until I found my beloved Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer but if I was looking for a cheaper alternative, I'd definitely go back to this fella. It works well on under eye dark circles and on blemishes and let's face it, you can't really go wrong with that price point.
Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick, 6.89. I have this in the shade Belle and it's actually one of my favourite lip products. I wrote a full review on it HERE.
Sleek Blush in Antique, 5.49. This is the new blush from Sleek and it has my name written all over it. I love Sleek blushes- they're super pigmented and easily rival the likes of Nars any day. Plus, 5.49!!! Sure where would you be going?!

Sleek I-Divine palette in Vintage Romance, 9.99. Another one from Sleek but their eye shadow palettes are renowned for their excellent quality, colour range and again, bargainous prices- this is only 9.99 and it looks stunning. I want.

Maybelline Color 24Hr Tattoo, 7.49. I didn't really get into the whole hype of these when they first came out (I'm contrary like that) but I eventually caved and picked up the shade Permanaent Taupe. I use mine primarily as a primer for a smokey eye, which gives a lovely "smudged" look but equally they are just as good worn on their own.

Bourjois Liner Stylo Eye Liner, 8.19. This is the Bourjois pen style eye liner and for those of you as incapable of drawing a straight line with liquid or gel eyeliners as I am, this is the one for you. I've roadtested a fair few of these before (post HERE) and this came out on top.

Nails get their own section because when I think of the best products to buy under a tenner, it's generally nails that I think of first and there are some excellent options out there, including:

Topshop Nail Polish, 8-9 euro. I love these, there's an amazing range of really on-trend shades to choose from in a long lasting formula.
Barry M nail polish, 4.59. Again, cheap as chips with a really impressive colour range. If I'm ever looking for a little pick-me-up but am stoney broke, this is where I turn to.
L'Oreal Color Riche, 7.69. I have a few of these now and although the bottles are slightly smaller, I think these are also great value- the polish is a dream to apply and lasts very well too, like how you would expect a much higher end product to perform. I could've actually included Revlon polishes in here too as they are also excellent.
Models Own, 7.65. I had a not altogether happy experience with a couple of these before (HERE) but otherwise I love these guys- they generally tend to release very cool brights or pretty pastels that catch my eye the most and sometimes these can be found on offer in Boots, making them even more pocket-friendly.

Would any of these make your top 10 under ten? What's your own personal favourite bargain?

XX

Top 10 Desert Island Items..

Whenever I see tags like this, I always think "Desert island you say? Well then I'd bring SPF 50, sunglasses, the ingredients for a Pina Colada and a small suit for my soon-to-be monkey butler" but obviously the real topic for today's #SBBC is what make-up items you would bring with you, or if in some horrible twist of misfortune, you lost all your make up and could only repurchase ten things. So, leaving the need for extreme weather protectant products out of it, if I could only buy ten cosmetic products again, they'd be as follows:

Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm, I gave this a full review HERE. I love this stuff, I wear it every day and it really helps to keep the horrors of dry, flaky lips at bay. I've tried a lot of lip balms in my time and this is undoubtedly my favourite.
Clarins Flash Balm. I go in and out of phases of using this- at the moment I'm back in love with it, using it as a primer for my very dry skin and I find that aside from providing a great base for my foundation, it also makes me look a bit brighter and generally less like yer man from The English Patient, which is always good.
Lancome Teint Idole 24h foundation. I'm only a recent convert to this but I've been using it all Summer and love it. I am very fickle when it comes to foundation though- ask me again in a few months time and I'll probably have moved on to something else. For the time being though, this is what I'd pick, because it's long lasting, non-drying and improves the overall appearance of my skin.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I've gone on at length about this before HERE and my affection is showing no signs of waning. I'm always searching for the perfect concealer and I'm pretty sure this is the one. It covers my under eye dark circles and blemishes equally as well, doesn't crease and stays put.
Nars Orgasm blush. A peachy/pinky blush with a fine gold shimmer running through it, this is a classic for a reason. I'm a bit of a blush addict but I'll always return to this one because it's just very flattering and pretty on.
Dainty Doll blush in 003. I actually use this one for contour- it's pretty much completely matte and has no orange tones in it so it's the perfect contour shade for pale ladies like myself. I find it looks a lot more natural than other contours I've used but still makes an impact.
YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils. I've also gone on at length about this beauty (HERE) and with good reason- this creates a false lash effect without clumping or flaking and it is without doubt the best mascara I've ever used.
Mac eyebrow pencil. I ran out of this during the Summer and because I'd dyed my hair red, the shade of this I was using no longer suited me so I didn't repurchase but it is a great product and when I eventually get around to swatching the other shades, I'll be picking up another.
Mac eye liner in  Powersurge. Ignore the picture there where it's green, I couldn't find a decent image of powersurge to show you but basically it's a murky gold/metallic brown shade in a soft, smudgey finish. It's a dream to apply, making my blues eyes pop. Usually I just quickly smudge it on, put on some mascara and I'm away. Foolproof. I went through a good 5 year phase of wearing this non-stop and recently dug it out again, remembering how much I'd loved it.

And for number 10.....

That's right! Three lipsticks. I know, that technically makes twelve but I couldn't decide and besides they should really all go under the same entry in the list as they are all basically the same product. Just indulge me!

Chanel Boy. This is a really pretty but sophisticated nude/pink shade with a glossy finish. I always feel a bit more presentable when I'm wearing this and it feels lovely on.
YSL Le Rouge pur couture no.02. YSL lipsticks are like catnip to me, I love them so. This is one of my favourites, a rich, smooth red that looks a bit darker on the lips than in the bullet- this is a serious red lip, perfect for Autumn/Winter. Another contender for this spot would be Dior Marilyn, a brighter red and an absolute beauty.
Mac Rebel. I also wrote a review of this HERE. I adore this lipstick. When I first bought it last year I wasn't sure I'd get enough wear out of it but I wear it constantly. It's the perfect berry shade for me because it actually has a good old whack of pink in it so it's incredibly flattering on. I recently was completely knackered the day after a wedding and threw this on..my face instantly looked brighter and more awake. Ah, the powers of a good lippie.

What about you? Anything on here that would make your top ten?

XX

Autumn Is Coming..

Technically Autumn's already here but any excuse to think of Game of Thrones, eh? As part of #SBBC, today's post is "a photo from your day" and although I actually took these last week on my walk around Kilruddery House & Gardens, I thought I'd pop them up today as they nicely represent my excitement for the change of seasons. 

This tree actually looked like this- no added effects, just one side weirdly Autumnal and the other not...

We had a beautiful Summer in Ireland (for once, a year that you won't hear anyone saying "sure we barely even got a Summer and now it's feckin' Winter again"), but regardless of how sunny it is, it always gets to the stage when I crave the Autumn- that crisp, chill in the air, crunchy orange and yellow leaves underfoot, an excuse to drink coffee more frequently, wear woollies & comfy boots and of course, the anticipation of Halloween. I also love Autumn because it's the perfect time for us bookworms- curling up indoors with a new read, a big mug of tea, the fire lit and a candle burning (I've actually got a post coming up on my new favourite Autumnal-scented candle). Good times. 

Are you an Autumn person too? What are you most looking forward to?

XX

September Wishlist

Mostly at the moment I'm wishing for a decent Halloween costume for next month, or if that's not possible, for someone to come along and make me one. In lieu of that, I would also be quite happy with any of the following:

• Faux fur collar coat, HERE, Warehouse. This looks a bit light for Winter but would be pretty perfect for Autumn wear. Love that grey colour and the faux fur collar adds a nice retro touch.

• Polka dot jeans, HERE, Asos. I've been on the hunt for a pair of polka dot jeans for ages now but have struggled to find a pair with just the right sized dots..yes, I KNOW. Anyways, these are delightful and are on sale but not in my size.. so I guess the search shall continue. I just thought I'd share them with you lovely lot! I think these will be great with a pair of flat boots, chunky woollen knee socks and an oversized jumper.

• Wool Trench Coat, HERE, Ted Baker, I know, another Ted baker coat but with good cause- this is a beauty. Well structured, a beautiful , classic fit and style in a warm and heavy material. A good black Winter coat is a staple everyone should have and mine is currently on its last legs so a new one may need to be purchased. This one is way out of my price range though unfortunately. On reflection, this whole post is just a lesson in self inflicted cruelty really.

• Tartan dress, Penneys, in stores now for 17 euro. This is a terrible picture but I did the best with what I had, Penneys not having an official website and whatnot. Tartan is really in again this A/W and this Peter Pan collared-dress is a very cute take on the pattern.

• Andrea Garland Owl lip balm Necklace "Mr Hoots", HERE, Asos. I already have an owl pendant, so this is completely unnecessary but I do not own an owl necklace that also doubles as a lip balm pot. Functional AND cute. Plus he's called "Mr Hoots". That's a good enough reason to get it right there.

• Neon crystal necklace, HERE, Button and Bow Factory. The old statement necklaces are still pretty on trend for the new fashion season (good news for me, eh?) and I'm really liking this neon/diamante take on it, which I think would be great with a simple marl grey jumper.

• Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, HERE, Cloud 10 Beauty. I love the RT brushes and wouldn't use anything else at this stage but I'm really keen to try their newly released sponge, which supposedly gives a more natural finish to foundation and can also be used for cream blush. Interesting!

• Nars, Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi, Ce Soir palette, HERE, Selfridges. Oh, Nars. I want literally everything you make but especially this limited edition palette. The blushes! The shadows! Swoon.

• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil, HERE. I somehow have never tried any of these yet and have been convinced recently by some of my fellow bloggers to give them a go. I'm almost at the end of my favourite eyeliner- MAC Powersurge so I think I'll be picking one of these up when it's finished. 

What's on your current wish list?

XX

Beauty Things I Suck At

Oh the life of a beauty blogger...constantly trialing new products, indulging in a love for all things beauty related, never being without at least six (it's the designated number) lip products rolling around in the bottom of a handbag. You could be forgiven then for thinking that we all have make-up application sorted but you would indeed be very wrong. 

Here are my own personal beauty fails:

1) Applying false lashes. 

I love the effect of false lashes, I just hate the hassle of putting them on..particularly one of them. It doesn't matter which eye it is but ONE of them always goes awry. It's as if my eyes are like "ooh, look at you, got one right, did ya? Best of luck with the other one, then (evil laugh)". 

Generally I end up standing at a mirror trying desperately to get that one on, looking all crazed and frustrated whilst covering myself in glue. Not a great look, really.

2) Perfecting the winged liquid liner.

I love liquid and gel eyeliner. My personal favourite style is a slick of black liner, a load of mascara and beautiful red lips. Unfortunately for me, again, one eye always goes a bit wonky. I'll do one of them perfectly and momentarily I'll be all like "YES! I did it! A career in make up artistry awaits! Oh no, wait a minute..." cause I'll have then just completely ruined the other one. Fun times.

3) Applying lip liner.

Seeing a pattern here yet? As in, anything that involves creating a line or using precision is just outside of my capabilities? Yup, that sounds about right. My main issue with lip liner is more pure laziness if I'm honest. I generally can't be bothered doing it and mostly I just lash lipstick on haphazardly, which means I'm not even practising using lip liner so I'll probably never be good at it. Oh well.

Let me know in the comments what beauty stuff you suck at and please tell me I'm not alone with any of the above! This post is part of the September Beauty blogging challenge, which you can read more about HERE. 

XX

Where I get my Inspiration From..

 #SBBC day 14 is all about where you get your inspiration for blogging from and for me personally, it's probably a combination of a few different things. For the most part, I see something I like, be it make-up, a good book, an item of clothing, a film or whatever and I will then want to talk (i.e rant) about it at length. So really anything can inspire me to write a post. But what inspired me to set up a blog in the first place and indeed, what inspires me to keep going on days that I just don't feel like writing anything? Other bloggers, of course! 

Image Source

Before I started my own blog, I read a lot of Beaut.ie (the Irish blogging Mothership) and from there, I became familiar with the fantastic blogs of Karen from Lovely Girlie Bits, Sue from CherrySue Doin The Do, Emma from Fluff and Fripperies, Sera from The Agoraphobic Fashionista, Kitty from Red Lemonde, and YouTube wise- Sanne from Books and Quills and Estee from Essie Button. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis but those are the ones from whom I love to see a new post popping up on my bloglovin feed- I will always click on a post from any of those ladies to read, because invariably I always enjoy them and reading or watching such well thought out, intelligent and entertaining content will in turn make me want to strive to improve my own little blog, so thank you all for your general blogging brilliance! 

If you want to find some more fantastic bloggers, HERE'S my blog roll of favourites, most of whom are Irish based blogs...what can I say, we're a talented bunch!

XX

Eye Make-Up Removers: Clarins, L'ancome, No.7 and Nars.

#SBBC day 12 for me, was an easy pick- comparing two or more beauty items. I've been doing this lately anyway with eye make-up removers and have been using ones by Clarins, L'ancome, No.7 and Nars to find my favourite. 

Although I use a beautiful cleanser to generally remove all of my make up (read about that HERE), I like to take off my eye make-up separately first, to make sure every last trace is gone. Here's how I got on with the four potentials:

• I tried the Clarins Gentle Eye Make Up Remover Lotion first, which I actually got  as a complimentary sample with purchase. I detest the smell of this- I don't know what it is but it's unpleasant and not to my personal taste. To start with, I found this quite stingy on my poor peepers, which is odd, given that it has the word gentle right there in the title. Having said that, I was determined to persevere with it as I'm a big fan of Clarins and wanted to give it a fair go and it did settle down somewhat but I still wasn't overawed with it by the time I had finished it. It does work in actually removing eye make-up but the added discomfort to the eye meant it wasn't for me.
• L'ancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover. This one, I loved. I also used a sample of this and got on very well with it. It has a delicate scent, doesn't sting or irritate my eyes and takes all of my make-up off, even thick mascara and eyeliner. It's one of those ones with an oily layer but it mixes very easily when shaken, something that bothered me about....
• No. 7 Beautiful Skin eye make up remover. I did a whole review on this HERE but the outcome of that was that I wasn't a huge fan. This works to a certain extent- you don't have to scrub at your eyes or anything but again, the two layers didn't mix particularly well- I'd shake them like a mad woman and still end up with mostly oil on my cotton pad, which left my eye lids greasy and a bit uncomfortable. It was only 4.50 on offer though, so you know, not too shabby.
• Lastly, the Nars Gentle Oil Free Eye Make-up remover. I quite like this one, it's scent free, non-irritating and does it's job well with very little effort needed. Confusingly, this says it's oil-free but it looks like there's a fine old layer of oil in the bottle..so, I dunno. Either way, this is a good'un. Again I only have a sample of this but I would definitely consider buying a full size.

Out of these four I've already purchased a full size of the L'ancome (that was before I'd tried the Nars, not sure which I'd go for now out of those two). Yes, the No.7 is reasonably priced and will save you a lot of money in comparison to the other three, but there's less in the bottle per ml and really, sometimes you're better off just spending that little bit extra to get a good quality product. 

Have you tried any of these four? What's your current go-to eye make up remover?

XX

Topshop Pansy Print Dress

Today's #SBBC choice was either a favourite item of clothing or beauty pet peeves and since I immediately thought of this dress when I read the topics, I decided to go for the former. This red, pansy print dress was part of the original Kate Moss for Topshop range, launched in 2006. I picked up a few pieces from that collection that I still love but I just know that this wraparound, be-frilled dress will remain a wardrobe staple for me forever. 

The reason why I love this dress so much is that it never lets me down- it's at those times where you're wracking your brain trying to think of what to wear and then the perfect, failsafe item pops into your head. That's this little number for me. In summer I wear it over 50's style rolled up jeans with sunnies and red lipstick and in Winter I wear it with thick black tights, a woolly cardigan, boots and again, red lippie..cause that never changes! The details on this are gorgeous too- ruched sleeves, an inconspicuous frill around the bottom, a not-so inconspicuous frill to the front (helping us non chesty-la-rue ladies out), and generally just a beautiful cut and fit. 

But aside from all of that, this dress says everything about me- a bright, vintage style floral in a 40's cut is easily my go-to when it comes to clothes- if I could wear any style forever, it would be this. 

Here I am wearing it with the lovely Aundrea from Dancing With Disaster at the bloggers Christmas meet-up last year:

Picture stolen from Facebook..thanks Aundrea! x

What's your perennial clothing favourite?

XX

Shoes So Bright They'll Knock Your Socks Off...

When I read the suggested title for today's #SBBC (ways to incorporate colour into your look), I immediately thought of accessories and from there, shoes. Although I tend to add colour to my outfits in a variety of ways- lipstick, jewellery, bags etc, I felt colourful shoes were something I hadn't previously explored that much on the blog. This in itself is odd because I am a life long lover of shoes. A total cliche, I know. My mother can regularly be heard saying "Imelda Marcus has nothing on you"...which may be a slight exaggeration, given that she is reported to own over 3,000 pairs. I'm not quite that bad..yet. I have almost a rainbows worth of shoes by now too, red, pink, orange, mint, turquoise (my wedding shoes!), teal, silver, gold, blue...I could go on. Today though I've whittled it down to four of my favourite brightly hued shoes, otherwise we'd be here all day!

These fuchsia toned beauties have a lovely retro vibe to them and are surprisingly comfy in spite of their high heel, thanks to the added platform. I generally save these for weddings or special occasions, as they're satin and I don't want to destroy them in a pub somewhere.

I showed you these before in my Topshop coral post (HERE) and my love for them has only grown since then. I've worn these loads this Summer but may unfortunately have to pop them into hibernation for Winter.

In fact, I loved those coral lovelies so much I also got them in this beautiful bright blue. I'm very fond of a pointy toed shoe and when they're this comfortable, it seems wise to get more than one pair. Again, I've worn these a lot over the last few months and will be looking forward to breaking them out again once the sun returns!

Lastly, these baby pink suede heels from Irregular Choice. There's probably not a whole lot I can say about these- the pictures do them justice, I think. That pink! The oddly rounded toe! The bejewelled turtle!

That's right, I said bejewelled turtle.

Swoon. 

XX

Revlon Chroma Chameleon: Pink Quartz

#SBBC day 6 requires a make-up look and I've kind of gone off track a bit with this one but I really wanted to show off this lovely Revlon Chroma Chameleon polish (I know, the name is ridiculous) I got recently. This is the shade 'Pink Quartz'. There's also another five other shades available in this iridescent, colour-changing range of polishes. 

I love these metallic, iridescent type of polishes and I also love Revlon as a brand- their nail varnishes have never let me down. It's quite a thin polish so it's easy to apply and dries quickly. I decided to apply three coats but it would easily have been perfect with just two. I also didn't let a couple of them dry properly in my haste to get it on so I did smudge those. The ones that I actually did properly turned out fine though. I know, I'm an eejit.

It is beautiful on, varying wildly between a strong, almost green/gold (not too dissimilar to Chanel's Peridot) and other times it's a beautiful rose/gold. Either way it's a stunning polish, one that is neutral enough to look well for a wedding or to be work appropriate but also different enough to ensure you get inundated with compliments! You can't say better than that really!

Have you tried any of the Revlon Chroma Chameleon polishes?

XX

Trip to Kerry

If you were ever in doubt as to the sheer beauty of the Irish countryside, then fear not because I have gone and done the research and came home with lots of fancy pants photos of my travels. #SBBC (read about it HERE) day 6 looks at travel dreams/plans and I could easily have gone on at length about where I'd love to go around the world but instead, I have these beautiful shots of Kerry to share with you. The weather was fantastic the whole time we were there and the chance to breathe in the fresh air in such stunning surroundings was just wonderful. We came home relaxed and reenergised.

Ladies View, Killarney (I'm demonstrating the lady part).

Near Kilorglan

Muckross House and the lake in the National Park

Muckross Abbey

Torc Waterfall

The country house we stayed in. 

We've been to Kerry loads of times now and I seem to love it a little bit more each time, it really is a beautiful spot and I would highly recommend it for a break away. 

XX