Sunday, 10 March 2013


A Thought For The Week Ahead !!



While listening to my ITunes library this morning this song came on!

Baz Luhrmann Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen


I took the time to actually listen to it as I have to admit I cannot believe how accurate the advice really is – well from my experience so far. So here are the lyrics to have a read. See what you think!

Click HERE To View The Video



Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99: 

Wear sunscreen. 

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now. 

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. 

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind sides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday. 

Do one thing every day that scares you. 

Sing. 

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. 

Floss. 

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. 

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. 

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch. 

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. 

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. 

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's. 

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. 

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. 

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. 

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly. 

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. 

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. 

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. 

Travel. 

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. 

Respect your elders. 

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out. 

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85. 

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. 

But trust me on the sunscreen.


Xoxo 

Wednesday, 6 March 2013


My Favourite Perfumes......................At the Minute!



I am not a gal who adores a million different perfumes but when I do like one I generally love it. My taste in perfume falls into two categories. I title these categories flowerily fresh and rich night time. In this post I will share with you my favourite perfumes at the minute. Before I begin I just want to state that I am not the best, am probably not even that good, at describing smells or scents. Anyway here is my attempt. (“,)

v English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone


Falling into my flowerily category I love this perfume. Gifted to me originally by my sister I have repurchased it again and again. It is a really fresh smell that is rich yet delicate. For me it smells of a mixture of flowers and a little bit of spice. The smell lingers all day and is no way heavy. A little expensive but worth every penny! It is defiantly one of those perfumes that blend with the person who is wearing it natural scent so maybe sample before you buy as I find it smells differently on every one who wears it.

v ELLE by YSL


Have you ever been out and about and smelt a perfume and simply had to find out that that smell was? Well this happened to me and this is how I was introduced to Elle by YSL. I love it! This perfume actually falls in to both my categories and can be worn day and night. It smells of flowers, spice, a little citrus and maybe a little woody also. It is a really classic smelling perfume and what I call a “rich/expensive” smelling perfume.

v Guilty by Gucci



My traditional night time perfume this is a fabulous glam scent. It has a musk hint to it and really can be worn day or night. For me this perfume has a sensual and sophisticated oriental scent that once you spray is nice and rich but it settles down to be a delicate aroma that stays with all day. I love it and always feel “dollied” up when I wear it.

v Daisy by Marc Jacobs


Back to my flowerily perfumes. This is one of my staple perfumes that no matter what mood I am, where I am going, what I am wearing or what season we are in I can go to this perfume put it on and feel great. It is such a fresh summery smell. It is fresh, light and really dewy. The flowers that are included are gardenia, violet, jasmine and they mix really well. I love the bottle but the only problem I find is that the bottle is difficult to carry around in your handbag. This is one of my favourite perfumes and will continue to be.

v Lady Million Perfume by Paco Rabanne



A rich, luxury perfume that I believe you either love it or hate it. My boyfriend has the male version and it is just as nice. It is a strong scent but it settles nicely and is long wearing. Hints of fruit, a tiny bit musky and warmth that really does leave you smelling great. The packaging is also very cute; it is simply a big gold diamond.

v Addict 2 by Dior


If I had to choose one perfume that could be described as summer in a bottle it would be this perfume. I simply love it. I was wearing this perfume the night I met my boyfriend and he always remembers it which I think just adds to its magic! It is a fresh, flowerily, fruity, and light scent that just really delicate yet always draws attention. I wear it all the time. The only little downside with this perfume is that it does not last very long on the skin therefore must be reapplied often which means you go through it really fast. Despite this I have repurchased it many times and will continue to do so. I call it my happy perfume.

v Black Orchid by Tom Ford.


This is the newest perfume to my collection. Again a gift from my sister (she loves perfume so is always the best to get the “smelly gifts” from. If I am being honest my mind has not been fully made up about this perfume. First off it is very strong so the phrase “a little goes a long way” defiantly comes to mind as it is very strong when you first spray. It is a feminine smell that is rich. Again a musky hew to it, there is flower presence. This is one perfume that really commands attention and I am always asked what I am wearing when I am wearing it. I do like it; I am just not sure how much I like it just yet.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have a favourite perfume? Do share your favourites by leaving a comment below I love to try new scents.

Xoxo

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

An Easy Way To Remove Long Wear Nail Polish

The Easy Way To Remove Long Lasting Manicure
--------------------
I seem to be doing a lot of posts on nails lately so here is a quick n easy way to remove nail polish be it regular or long ware.

1. Cut up regular cotton pads big enough to wrap around the nail.

2. Cut up regular kitchen foil a little bigger so to wrap around the finger.

3. Pour nail polish remover on to cotton pad. I like this remover by essence it's effective, inexpensive and gentle on nails.

4. Place the cotton pad on the nail and then wrap the tin foil around the pad n nail. Do the same for all fingers ...... I always need a helping hand to do my second hand! Leave for approximately 10mins.

5. Remove the foil n cotton. The polish will appear crumbly. Take a wooden cuticle stick and using the glad end gently push/scrap the polish off. It should be extremely easy to remove polish. If this is not the case replace cotton n foil n wait a few more minutes.

6. Wash hands, file nails , treat cuticle and moisturise hands and your good to go with the next nail creation!!


Hope u found this post helpful. Do u have any tricks and tips you would like to share please leave a comment below.

Xoxo


Sunday, 3 March 2013

Helping Hand.......


Anyone who listens to the radio in Ireland, in particular TODAY FM knows about the yearly campaign titled “Shave or Dye” in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. This year the people behind the campaign organised for the release of a charity single titled “Start Again” performed by the Grand Parade. It is a really uplifting tune and proceeds go to a seriously worthy cause. Have a look at the video and if you can pop along to ITUNES and please support this cause.


For more information on this campaign please click


Thanks for looking and please share this post so more people can help this worthy cause.


Xoxo 

Advice to my teenage self



Oh how I wish I could transport myself back in time and make myself aware of these little tips when I was a teenager. I was so excited when I came across this tag. I hope you enjoy it.

¬ 3 beauty/fashion DOs for your teenage self.

O.k. first up I would tell myself wear what suits you, your shape and your colouring etc. Be it makeup or be it clothes or accessories always choose according to what suits you rather than following trends and what is in fashion. To me style is unique to the person, less is often more and individuality is far more attractive than assembly line duplicates. No matter your shape, size, skin tone, hair type every person has something attractive to offer that is unique to you. If I am being honest I probably need to keep telling my adult self this message also!

Next up would I would tell myself to shape and tint my brows sooner. I stated getting my eye brows waxed and shaped in my teens but it is only in recent years I have only started to tint and fill them in. This routine has become one of my must do’s for my makeup routine. I think the brows shape the face and when taken care of can be a very important focal point of the face.

Finally I would tell myself to take care of your hair! I was teenager who home dyed my hair, was a different colour very often, did not always condition and simply did not look after my hair. It was only when a mission to become blonde ended in a complete disaster, my mother had to come to my rescue, I had to spend a small fortune and shoulder length hair became a bob that I realised how important it was to take care of your hair. Broken weak and limp hair is a no go! Since that fateful weekend I have taken care of my hair.

¬  3 beauty/fashion DON'Ts for your teenage self

Oh there are so many of these little “don’ts” I would tell myself. Number one has to be never, ever use a stick foundation such as Max Factors Pan Stick. Oh my goodness did I paste that stuff on me! I actually shiver at the thoughts. I dread to think of the colour difference that no doubt visible between my face and my neck! Eh ..........I had not been introduced to the whole concept of blending.
Next would have to be don’t put too much fake tan on. I am sure I used far too much tan, looked far too “sun kissed” and had orange paws and no doubt a few streaks thrown in for good measure. I do love tan, but now a days I am sure that a glow is far nicer then a change of ethnicity!
My final don’t would have to be forgot to cleanse tone and moisturise your skin or even just cleanse and tone! Your skin is the one fashion and beauty item that you will always have and will always be stuck with so look after it now. As a teenager you don’t have to spend a lot on expensive products you simply have time and youth on your side. Always take your makeup off at night and try and wear a moisturiser or day cream with a built in SPF. Even here in Ireland were we tend to be devoid of sunshine, cold weather can be just as harsh on your skin  and an SPF protects the skin.  Prevention is better than cure..............oh and one last skin tip SMILE! A frown is no help to skin!


¬ A deep & meaningful piece of advice for your teenage self

My deep and meaningful piece of advice is very simple but how I wish someone had told me! Be good to yourself! What I mean by this is simply to put you first once in a while. Be kind to yourself and don’t let others make you feel inadequate or of less worth then you really are. Friends play such an important role in every person’s life and even more in the life of a teenager. Acceptance is a very important aspect of life and as teenagers we have all been guilty of losing a little of ourselves for the sake of pleasing others. Try and remember you are a unique, beautiful person who has something unique to offer. Once in awhile make sure you do what you want to do, look around you and see the people whom you mean the world to and appreciate them. Enjoy yourself and stop worrying about what other people think of you. Do things that you want to do not only what others want in the pursuit of making others happy. Smile, sing, dance, have adventures you want to have and be young. I am not old but I can say you will have plenty of time to have adult worries, losses, and drama’s to deal with so for now be young and be good to yourself. It was not until recently that I learnt a heartbreaking lesson about friendship. People may be in your life that you truly believe will stick by you and you would call your chosen family but unfortunately they don’t see you in the same light. People can let you down, people can hurt you be it intentional or not, people can disappoint you but you will always have yourself to rely on so be good to you and allow yourself to be you! That may not make sense to a lot of people but maybe as Mother once told me experience is the best life lesson!

¬ One tip for school
People say the school days are the best days of your life. For me my college days were better so I automatically encourage people to work towards college and university.  It opens a whole world of opportunity; you meet so many new people and experience new things. So my advice to my teenage self would be to try your best academically as your best is all you can do. Your best or your ability will not be the same of the person sitting beside you but it is your best and once you do your best you are doing all in your ability to achieve your potential. If you love maths then do maths and don’t be ashamed to admit you like subjects. If you are not academically minded then find an area you are interested in it and pursue it. Never just throw in the towel and say you can’t. Again as my Mother always told me “there is no such word as can’t”

¬ one tip for friend’s


Well I think my one piece of deep and meaningful advice covers this one. I will add one thing though and that is surround yourself with people who are both good to you and with people who are good for you. The difference between these two types of people is very important. Many people will be good to you for example they are kind, they lend you their favourite dress, they collect you in  the pouring rain just to save your newly done hair. These people are essential and very important to have in your life. However you also need people are good for you. A lesson that my older sister taught me a few years ago and I have been so grateful for since. These are the people who will encourage you, help you achieve what you want to achieve, they will push to achieve all you can, they will not listen to your excuses, they will be there through thick and thin and they will tell an honest opinion rather than what you want to hear. Simply put they will call you out on your crap! They will laugh with you but they will also cry with you, they will hold you up when you simply cannot take another step, they will hold your hand and walk beside when you need them to or they will give you a shove ahead if you need it. We all need these people in our lives and you never know these people may be closer then you think, I am lucky to have a sister who is all of the above. So as a teenager I would advise myself to not always go for the cool, sparkly, popular friend go for the all rounder, from my experience they stand the test of time.

¬ one tip for fun

Again this is simple. Stop worrying!  Fear of the unknown can hold us back so much. Take a leap, don’t be afraid and enjoy yourself. I spend far too much time worrying and if I am being honest I probably spend too much time as an adult worrying. It is a waste of time. I once read a quote, I don’t know where it was from or who said it but it always stayed with me.
“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it gets you absolutely nowhere”
Enjoy life and be young!

Hindsight is a great thing and we can all look back and say how we would have done things differently. That is life. I really enjoyed writing this post and doing it has just confirmed to me that we should live for today, life has no guarantees and why wake up in 20 years with a “should have, could have, would have” attitude.
My teen years are behind me but here is to the future and all the adventures, celebrations, mistakes, memories and life lessons that lie ahead!
Hope you enjoyed this post.
Have you one piece of advice you would offer your teenage self?

Xoxo

Thursday, 28 February 2013


February Favourites

Well that month simply fly by in flash. It is no nice to finally see the spring to show it face even only for a few minutes at a time. The weather may be still very chilly and extremely unpredictable but the days defiantly seem to hold a little more day light. I love this time of year. As I mentioned before I have a growing appreciation for plants and flowers and I love that the little daffodils are beginning to show their little yellow faces!!

Anyway as February draws to an end I am pleased to tell you all about my favourite products I have been using this month. This month see’s a mixture of body/face care and make up. As always I would just like to tell you that I have tried each and every one of these products myself and my opinions are based on my experience of the products. Seeing as spring is on the way I have started upping my body care routine so I will start here....

1.     Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream 

€17.25 for 250ml



I love this body cream. It is really rich and smells amazing. It is gentle on your skin and leaves the skin unbelievably soft. It dries in really fast; it is almost like your skin simply drinks the moisture. It defiantly softens smoothes and condition the skin. The Green tea extract is perfect for sensitive or dry skin as it acts to calm the skin and nourish it at the same time. The cream is rich so you only need a little amount at a time meaning the 250 ml tube goes a long way, I have been using it for well over 2 months now.

2.   Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream 

€30.55 for 14.2g 




This eye cream was purchased as part of a trial size set. I written a post on the full set so if you want to have a look at the post just click on ME!
This eye cream is said to help the appearance of fine lines, dark circles and other nasty aging tell tale sign. It is rich and cooling on the eye area.  Benefit claims this cream help restore elasticity & firmness, a blend of hydrating botanical extracts including apple extract, known to help boost collagen. It is correctly named “it’s potent” as it is rich. It is really hydrating and over all I have had a really good experience with this eye cream. I have bought another benefit trial size kit with different products but it contains this eye cream again which I am so happy about.
I believe it is trial and error until you find the correct eye cream or skin care products that suit you and your skin type but this little potent pot is good place to start. 

3.     L’occitane Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom 30ml




With the weather still chilly and ever changeable a good hand cream is a must in my hand bag. I simply love all L’occitane products but the hand cream is just amazing. Enriched with shea butter, this creamy and non-greasy moisturiser nourishes and protects hands, leaving them delicately scented. It contains cherry extract so smells amazing. A little treat your hands deserve. 


4.     Real Techniques Expert Brush 




There is not much I can say about this fabulous face brush that has not been already been said and I have to admit all the positive reviews are spot on and completely correct. It is just a great face brush. It is light weight and has the perfect handle for gripping. It buffs makeup on the skin so well. It allows you to apply for foundation flawlessly leaving a lovely dewy look.  It is ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut. I love this range of brushes and am building my collection nicely. I actually like this brush so much that I want to add another one to my collection so when I was one and have it drying naturally for a day or 2 I will not be without one to use!!. Addicted much? (“,)

5.     Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector . 



Once again a product carries in my hand bag at all times and in 2 shades.  I have this product in shades 01 Rose Shimmer and 03 Nude Shimmer.
This Lip gel is really light weight with a brilliant 3d shimmer and shine. It is lightly pigmented leaving your lips bright and shiny with your chosen colour. This product also conditions your lips really well. It is by far one of my most favourite lip products at the moment. 

With a lot of focus on skin care this month I have enjoyed using all of these products so much. I love mixing up my body care products. I hope you find one or two products that you may like to try.
Have you found any products this month that you have been really enjoying using? Please share with your finds with me by leaving a comment.

Am off to begin my search for my new favourites for next month!

Xoxo 







Wednesday, 27 February 2013



Artdeco.....a few little samples



During a recent visit to my most favourite spa/beauticians 5th Avenue in Mullingar (for a really good look at all the treats they have to offer click HERE  ) I was given a few samplers of the new range of products from Artdeco.
I am new to the brand Artdeco so it was a real treat to be given the opportunity to try out these samples, which I must add were a great size for a sample. I have read good reviews of this brand and the many products the offer so I did not waste time in having a little tried myself.
¬  ULTRA VOLUME MASCARA

Anyone who is familiar with me, my blog or my make up habits knows that I adore good mascara. I got this mascara in black. This mascara claims to open and define the eyelashes and it is good mascara as in it is dark and it does open up your eyes. The level of volume is fairly good. I would use this mascara as day wear and seeing as it is a sample size that I have it is perfect for my handbag. I like the fact that the mascara is jet black as it highlights the eye. It is fragrance free and is gentle on the eyes. Overall I like it but as mascara’s go and taking in to account the amount of them I have tried I am not sure if I love it as yet.


¬    Lipgloss


I received this gloss in the shade iridescent. I really liked this gloss. The colour was very pigmented and has the finest of fine glitter particles to give a real glam effect. It does give a high shine and lips are plump looking. It lasted ages meaning I did not have to reapply for hours on end. A great gloss I have used up already.


¬  LONG LASTING OIL FREE SPF 20

Unfortunately I simply did not like this foundation at all. It aims to give the face an oil free matt finish and be of light weight and medium coverage. I found this to be untrue. The consistency was heavy and almost hard to blend. It was not my shade but again this was a sample so it was not matched to my skin so I cannot comment on the shade due to this. I just found it heavy and thick. I removed it once it was applied. I am sure it is perfect for many people’s skin just not for mine.


¬  ILLUMINATING POWDER FINISH


Loved this product so much have went out and bought a new pot for myself. This is a translucent powder that is used to set or finish the desired make up look. It has delicate light reflecting pigments that just give your face a really delicate glow. It is really easy to use and helps you achieve the natural nude look that has been all over the catwalks this year at various fashion shows. I highly recommend this product; it is relatively inexpensive for such good results.

So that is my experience of a few Artdeco products. Some good, some bad experiences but like all cosmetics worth a try. For a look at the full  range of products click HERE

Hope you find this account of my experience helpful.

Xoxo