I generally wear make up every single day, unless I’m really really sick and have no intention what so ever of climbing out of my super comfy bed.  Whether it’s to go to the shops, work, the doctor or even walking the dog, I really do feel naked without my bit of slap.  I have a vast collection of powders, creams, liners and glosses and I love trying out new products.

A flush of excitement washed over me when I saw this cute little compact trio and I could not wait to put it to the test. It is an ideal size for those nights out when you are just bringing your clutch and don’t have room for your usual larger colour palette.  I tried the shade ‘grey obsession’ as it stated on the back that it is ‘tailor made for blue eyes’.  I wore it to work where I knew I would be busy just to see if it would last me the day without creasing or irritating my eyes.

I applied it dry for a subtle look but it can be applied wet for a more dramatic evening look.  It went on smoothly, blended really well and didn’t leave a lot of powder particles falling all over my face.  It looked fab all day long and stayed put which is great.  I felt no irritation on the area what so ever and it didn’t need to be touched up at all during the day.  I would definitely recommend this product and with nine different shades, there is something for every eye colour.

Price: €12.34

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As a person with oily skin I was excited to try out this product as it claimed to leave your skin Matte but luminous at the same time.  It sounded far too good to be true, as I usually have to load my skin with a brushing of powder after I apply my foundation.

But, I was super amazed with the results.  It went on effortlessly and felt like I was applying silk to my skin.  I did not need to apply any powder after this product as it felt like it had micro sponges that soaked up any excess oil on my skin.  It has such a gorgeous texture, almost like velvet and it really did leave my skin looking great.  It reduced the appearance of my fine lines and it worked wonders in covering those large pores that I hate so much.  I wore it to work and after a five hour shift it still looked really great, but any longer and I’m sure I would have to reach for the powder for my super shiny nose.

I used a foundation brush to apply, as it really works it in to those fine lines and blemishes.  Only a small amount of this product is needed at a time, and build your look up slowly, no trowels girls, please!  It comes in six different shades so be sure to test a tiny amount on your jaw line to find the perfect shade for you.  This product has a recommended retail price of €15.49 and gets the thumbs up from me

The Colour Range

Rosy Ivory

Golden Ivory

Creamy Natural

Rosy Sand

Apricot Beige

Golden Honey

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Maybelline New York have sent us their Autumn Winter 2010 make-up trends which should help keep us up to date without breaking the bank…

After a month-long merry-go-round of catwalk shows, the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections are over!  Autumn’s brand new beauty trends are blissfully straight-forward and universally flattering.  Not everyone can afford fashions newest It items but a slick of lipstick in the right shade offers an instantly wearable way for women to get a so-this-season style update.  Add a nude eyeshadow, a luscious flick of liquid liner and a pretty pastel manicure and you’re ready for your close-up.  Here, Maybelline New York’s Celebrity Make-Up Artist Fiona Jolly, explains the key looks for Autumn/Winter 2010.

Go Nudist

Product must-have: Maybelline New York EyeStudio Mono in Silken Taupe (rrp €5.97)

We’re not recommending you throw away your clothes – just strip back your make-up!  At the shows, chic shades of caramel, camel and beige were accentuated with rose lips for a look reminiscent of Calvin Klein’s early Nineties minimalism.  But for 2010, Fiona Jolly notes that “This time around the nude trend has a 21st century twist, using modern shimmer and shine, as seen at Balmain and Preen.”

There was also beautifully bare make-up at Carlos Miele where nude skin and NEW Lash Stiletto Voluptuous mascara [rrp €11.94] created an innocent look.  Maybelline New York’s Spanish Make-up Artist, Gato, was inspired by “sophisticated women” and blended nude and sand shades on the cheeks, using Pure.Cover Liquid Mineral concealer [rrp €8.99] as a highlighter.  That’s multitasking!  Just dot it over your cheekbones and then blend. Although Gato warns that, “this is not a look for little girls,” going nude is one of the most wearable trends this season.  Fiona Jolly advises that, “concentrating on your makeup’s texture – and eradicating colour – will create the ultimate elegant finish for the Go Nudist look.”

According to Fiona, “the chicest way to go nude is by smoothing on Dream Creamy moisturizing foundation [rrp €12.34].  Groom your brows!  The easiest way is to use a clean mascara wand and brush them upwards to give your face an athletic edge.”  Sweep dark grey or chocolate shadow into the outer sockets of your eyes and smudge a neutral taupe across the whole eyelid.  If you’re doing night-time nude, smear soft shimmer over the lid (Fiona swears by EyeStudio Mono in Taupe and Chocolate Chic [rrp €5.97].)  “Using a creamy pencil inside your inner eyelid will make the whites of your eyes appear brighter,” says Fiona, who also suggests a slick of natural gloss on the lips citing that, “neutral lip gloss is a girl’s best friend!  Just make sure you choose a shade that works with your natural skin tone.” To finish off this look, use the NEW Colour Sensational Pearls in Cashmere Rose [rrp €10.45] over the lips.

All very affordable prices and a great way to buy in to the seasons trends if budgets don’t allow new wardrobes!

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As someone who is ALWAYS allergic to mascaras (other than Clinique), I approached this product with caution and some cold wet soothing cotton discs!  I needn’t have bothered with the discs as this is one of the rare times that mascara other than my old reliable didn’t irritate my eyes.  At first the theory was ‘it’s only been a couple of hours… days… ‘ but no bleeding of the eyes occurred.

As for the actual mascara it went on easily with no clumping or excess product on the brush.   The brush is slightly curved in the shape of the lash line and the holder itself is boxed widening at the brush end.  The consistency is nice and thin so there’s no wastage wiping it on a tissue and it doesn’t clump on the lashes.  It definitely did accentuate the lashes making them longer and thinner which was great leaving a very natural finish.  By the end of the day it didn’t look as fab as at the start but because it’s so thin and light weight you can top it up without looking like Aunt Sally.

Over all this mascara gets the thumbs up and would be recommended to those looking for a natural finish minus any clumping. Value for money on this one with a RRP of €11.99.

Flutter power: 8/10

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What a fab Summer we are having, it’s a much welcome change to the torrential rain soaked days of the last few years.  So obviously there is a lot more skin on show and if we are showing off more skin we have to have it beautifully tanned, fake of course!  And to go with our beautiful tans is the gorgeous colour, coral.  It looks fab with tanned or sallow skins and if you find that you are not quite brave enough to wear a coral piece of clothing, you can just add a splash of the colour by using nail polish or a lip colour.  Three of my fave pieces in this colour are:

Jessica Coral nail polish, €14.99 from all good salons.

Avon lip plumping lipstick in Crystallised Coral, €7 from your local Avon representative.

Essence return to Paradise lipgloss, €2.29 (bargain!) from your local Essence stockist.

So ladies, now you have absolutely no excuse to trail behind on this fresh Summer colour trend.

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Well, for me personally I’d have to say nay I’m afraid.  But, only because I like to wear my eyeliner pretty heavy and quite thick and the nib on this particular liner is pretty tiny.  Don’t get me wrong, I do think it’s a great product; it goes on well, it lasts smudge free for the day and it does not irritate the eyes.  I think it is really only suitable for a fresh day time look as above, or for someone who likes to keep it very natural.

It also took me ages to figure out how to actually get the nib to come out, but eventually I realised it’s a twist up nib.  It comes up a tiny bit at each click, but for someone like me who wears heavy eye make up every day, stay clear.  I don’t think it would be a good investment for heavy users, I myself would probabbly go through one a week!  Imagine how the goths would feel!  I would probably bring it on holiday to the sun.  You know when you are walking around soaking up the rays and you just want that fresh, sunkissed look?  Well, this product would be ideal with a dab of clear lip gloss and a sweep of some bronzer on the cheeks, perfecto!

The recommended retail price for this liner is €7.59 which is good value for money for anyone looking for a thin finish liner.

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Topshop, the most fashionable and original high street store on the streets of Dublin today, is finally putting the icing on the cake with a cherry or two on top by releasing their own make up range this May.

The make up collection promises a seasonal range of make up that is inspired by some of the hottest and trendiest places on earth like L.A’s beaches and Rios clubbing scene.  Their colours are going to be as wild and quirky as its customers who sport Topshop’s unique style, and were created by fashion trends instead of make up trends.

Those who have been lucky to have a sneak preview have mentioned that they have tried a nail polish called ‘The Big Smoke’ which is similar to Chanel’s popular ‘Particulier’.

Their aim is to make girls look natural so it’s no surprise that they haven’t focused much on foundations.  They have Skin Tint instead, which is a lightly tinted moisturiser and also Skin Glow for under the Skin Tint, that reportedly looks amazing.

Topshop have always offered fun and inventiveness.  They plan to keep us excited by changing their make up every season.  With the Oxegen weekend in sight their first instalments will be themed on festivals.  False eye lashes, bright festival colours and glitter, it just shouts festival!

With the promise of this make up range making its debut in May I plan to be camped outside the store before they sell out of everything, which is no doubt going to happen.

Write it into your planners girls, and be the first ones to sport the fabulous new Topshop make up range.

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We are going through the wow girlies for their top 5 cosmetics they would risk life and limb to save from a burning building.  This week I’ll be divulging my cosmetic addictions and must admit to finding it hard to narrow the list to 5… issues!!  Going on the title of the post I am leaving out the skin care items and just listing cosmetics, but it wouldn’t be right not to mention my La Roche Posay serum, A-MAZ-ING.  Back to the ‘can’t open the door unless I’ve got on….’

1) Lancome Teint Idole Ultra foundation.  It’s oil free and retouch free lasting all day without making your skin greasy.  Also, it has an spf15.

2) Poudre Majeure Excellence, Lancome’s pressed powder which sets the foundation and takes away any shine.  It also lasts really well and just needs a couple of touch ups through the day.

3) Egypt Wonder sport matt bronzing powder, without it I would look like I belonged on a slab in a fridge – good old Irish skin!

4) Benefit blusher – the dandelion is my favoured one giving a nice healthy pink hue to cover up the otherwise unhealthy pale hue!

5)Mascara – THE item to save.  My mascara of choice (having tested MILLIONS!) is Clinique’s high impact mascara.  It doesn’t clump, smudge or irritate my eyes so we will always be friends.

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Lancome have just launched a new compact bronzing palette.  It’s a limited-edition Golden Croisette bronzing palette to be precise.  There’s a stretch in the days, the occasional blast of sunshine and the smell of fresh cut grass in the air all meaning one thing, it’s time to find to perfect fake tan and bronzing powders!  Hence our interest when we heard about Lancome‘s new bronzer.

As a huge long time fan of their translucent pressed powder I have confidence in this new product and it’s ability to deliver (having said that we’ve yet to test it!).

We’ve been assured that… “Blended with a brush, the three light-infused shades of the Golden Croisette palette, bronze soleil, rose vibrant and abricot éclatant, create an instant healthy-glow, beautifully natural and sheer.”

This mineral formula is recommended as multi-faceted by using the pink shade as a blusher applied to the cheekbones, and the ‘abricot eclatant’ shade as a highlighter along the arch of your brow, and finally a touch to the cupid’s bow to ‘enhance the sensual shape of the lips’.  That’s a tip we’ve never heard before, let us know if you have used this trick.

This product will be available from the 1st of June with a RRP of €45.

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Your eyes are one of the most important features with the brows probably just pipping them to the post.  Brows literally frame the face, if shaped correctly they can be as good as a face lift!  However, eyes are just as important and are basically the focal point of your face, so it’s important to get your eye mak-up right.  So many people apply eye shadow that matches their eyes which really doesn’t enhance your eye colour at all, in fact quite the opposite.  You are better to go for a colour that will contrast with your own colour but something natural, for example if you have blue eyes go for light browns.

Another mistake is choosing bright on trend colours which jump off your face and are scream at those you encounter during your day, we all know people that make this mistake.  On trend loud colours are best left to younger ladies, much younger ladies who are just discovering the world of make-up!  This goes for wearing blue or green mascara, need I elaborate! Make-up was invented to enhance your looks, not to over power them.

Once you have chosen the best colours to suit your eyes along with a mascara of choice you are ready to begin window dressing your peepers.  Make-up artists have a couple of general rules to applying eye shadow.  For smaller eyes use lighter shades to help your eyes appear larger.  If you have big eyes darker colours will give more definition.  Choose three colours of shadow that compliment one another remembering to opt for something that contrasts slightly with your eye colour.

Apply your foundation, powder etc as normal including patting over your eyelid to give a base for your shadow. When it comes to applying your shadow start with the lightest colour first and apply it all over your lids right up to your brow line.   Next apply the medium colour in a V shape with the V on it’s side and the point at the outer corner of your lid.  Begin by applying at the center of your lid going along the lash line to the outer corner and back up along the top of your lid crease or brow socket.  Now use your darkest colour at the outer corner of your eye to accentuate the V.  Lightly blend the colours using either your fingertip or an applicator.

If you want a more dramatic look apply liner now.  If you are not used to liners it would be a good idea to practice at night when you’ve taken your make-up off!  Once you are happy finish by applying mascara – no face is made up unless you are wearing mascara.  Mascara is an ABSOLUTE essential for any self respecting female to enhance flutter power!

I don’t know why but some ladies opt to only apply make-up to the rest of their face and not their eyes which really has a adverse affect to the overall finish.  Eyes are so important so you need to get your eye make-up right. When you get home and take off your make-up experiment a little with different shades and looks to find what suits you best.

Do keep in mind that a natural lip gloss will finish the look perfectly, it’s never a good idea to focus on yours lips and your eyes, it always has to be one or the other!  I personally love MAC shadows and Bourjois are quite good also.  If anyone can recommend other brands to try please do…

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