Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I had a lovely little break from blogging over the holidays and now It's time to get back into the swing of things. I have a whole plan made out for 2016 regarding blog posts and things I'd like to do and achieve. 2015 was a great year but 2016 will be better and I'm excited to see what the new year brings.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, MAKE IT A GOOD ONE.

Jo

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November Favourites

I understand I don't post these every month which is why I sometimes just do a 'Current Favourites'. I don't find myself trying new products all the time, I just stick to the ones I know I love. However, I'm going to try my best to do one every month!

NYX Eyebrow Gel - I have this in the color brunette. It's a beautiful neutral/cool toned dark brown. This product is INTENSE. It's definitely not for those times when you want a more natural brow look. This makes your brows look sculpted and carved. Your brows look very done up which isn't a bad thing depending on the look you are going for. If i wanted to do my makeup for a formal event, or wanted a more "glam" look, this definitely fits very well. 

However, some days I tend to like a more natural brow look. I want my brows to have some definition but not to the point where I need my face to look "made up". I find that when I use this brow gel, I have to do a full face of makeup otherwise my brows just stand out too much.

This brow gel is waterproof and stays on the whole entire day. It's very difficult to wash out of my brushes. I use an oil based makeup remover and i still find some product stuck in the bristles.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer - I bought this in the lightest shade, to conceal and brighten the under-eye area.I find this concealer has really good coverage and very pigmented. It blends wonderfully and definitely buildable. I use this in my everyday make-up routine and will definitely re-purchase! 

Eyelure Individual Lashes - These Eylure Individual False Eyelashes are applied to the lash themselves to give body and length. This means they will last as long as your natural eyelashes, up to four weeks.

These false eyelashes instantly add volume to understated lashes, giving your eyes a subtle, natural but fuller style. They are also perfect for daytime and evening styles. I wear these lashes most weekends, usually not during the week as I have school, but you can also just wear a few if you just want a very natural look.

Rimmel Kate Moss Nude Collection - I adore these shades! I own four out of the six. I am more of a nude lipstick person, because I like my dark smokey eyes. On the days I wear something a little less strong on the eyes, I usually opt for an autumnal shade or a classic red. These nude lipsticks last ages, are super pigmented and very moisturising.

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REVIEW: Flormar's Duo Shimmering & Body Lotion

. Be a shimmer queen this Autumn with Flormar’s new Duo Shimmering & Body Lotion. The lotion has a dial where you twist to adjust the amount of shimmer you want mixed in with your body lotion. You can go from sheer beauty to glowing goddess in no time.

This skin finishing duo contains a body lotion enriched with shea butter, sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil on one side, and a gold shimmer gel formulated with aloe vera and panthenol on the other side.  It is the perfect skin enhancer for dull and tired looking skin, giving you a gorgeous healthy glow with a subtle golden sparkle.

I first used this a few nights ago after my bath, and this stuff smells AMAZING, and is also very moisturising.

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My Top 5 Bronzers

Today I thought I’d share some of my favourite bronzers from Boots and High Street stores. I find myself using bronzer more than ever before. They have so many uses, and are particularly good in the summer for complimenting a tan, as well as handy tools for contouring and sculpting.

Soap and Glory’s Solar Powder is a bronzer and a highlighter all in one. Again with a light shimmer, it creates a really natural glow, especially when you dust the lighter shade highlighter over your cheekbones. Having the combination of the two in the compact makes it nice and easy to take with you, great for touching up your complexion on the go.

Bourjois’ Delice de Poudre bronzer is a rich, warm brown so is great for when my skin is looking naturally more tan than usual. It has a super soft finish making it easy to apply with a lovely texture. It has a tiny, subtle amount of shimmer to it which gives off a natural looking glow, great for making you look like you’ve just got back from an exotic holiday! I love the chocolate bar design and it even has a sweet, chocolatey scent to it.

L’oreal’s Glam Bronze is one of my absolute favourites and one I find myself reaching for all year round. It has a matte finish for a natural looking tan, but is in a particularly golden shade, adding warmth to your skin, and the matte finish makes it great for contouring.

Revlon’s Bronzilla was a more recent addition but the neat compact with brush included made it ideal for taking with me on holiday. This bronzer has a strong colour payoff so you only really need a small amount, but is long lasting so will stay put throughout the day.

Last but not least, The Body Shop’s Honey Bronze in 02 is on the fairer side of bronzers, and even comes in a shade lighter, so is great for those with paler skin tones. It comes in a handy mirrored compact too, I tend to throw this in my handbag to take with me on the go. Again with a matte finish, this is perfect for subtle contouring and adding shape and definition to your face.

 

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REVIEW: No7 Beautiful Skin

I am ALWAYS open to trying any new brands or ranges. Personally I think skincare is one of those things we must all pay great attention to. There’s no point spending lot’s of money on makeup to cover up our skin if we aren’t spending the money on making sure our skin is up to scratch underneath it. No7 is a brand stocked in Boots, and is one I am often drawn to in terms of skincare and makeup.

 Amongst the collection, there are balm cleansers, water cleansers, foaming cleansers, gel cleansers, exfoliators, masks, serums and both day and night moisturisers for all skin types. I am definitely more of a “cream cleanser” girl. I feel as though a cream and a muslin cloth cleanse the skin a lot more thoroughly than a water on a cotton pad. However, I have been reaching a lot more for the water cleansers in the morning, as a quick refresh and instant pick me up. I still use my Liz Earle cleanse and polish for removing makeup at night, but i just find that a water cleanser is a nice morning boost. This water cleanser is among many I have tried, and I can’t say it is my favourite, but it is lovely. The smell of both these products are absolutely amazing, really fruity and summery. One thing I like on this water cleanser though, is the pump. Not a lot of the water cleansers I’ve tried have a pump, and require you to use the “tip and squeeze/shake” method (one which normally ends in an overly drenched cotton pad). The main thing that meant this cleanser wasn’t up there with my favourites though, was that I didn’t find it that good at removing makeup. Great for a skin boost in the morning yes, but removing makeup (even a light coating) took too many cotton pad refills and left my skin feeling a little tacky. 

The moisturiser is also really lovely. The cream is a nice consistency and again, smells amazing. It does feel quite thick on the skin, even though it says it’s for normal/oily skin.

Overall I was impressed with the few products I tried although they haven’t taken the lead in the skincare stakes. I think that I will have to pop into Boots to have a little look at other items in the range, the cleansing gel and balm sound interesting. No7 is a really well priced skincare brand, so even if these products aren’t for you, it’s worth taking a look at what they have to offer.

Have you tried anything from the No7 Beautiful Skin range? Anyone tried the balm or gel cleansers?

♥

Origins Spot Remover

I don’t often review individual products on my blog, although it’s definitely something I am now going to start doing because I always find myself searching for specific products reviewed on blogs before I consider buying them (I value bloggers honesty when it comes to reviews). So, without further a do, I shall get cracking with this one!

I was sent this product a long time ago, and had completely forgotten it existed beneath the mountains of skincare products I seem to be hoarding. It’s a tiny little blue bottle, only containing 10ml. You may think this is a measly amount, but I have been using this constantly for around 2 months and it just doesn’t seem to disappear. This spot gel is essentially for those pesky breakouts you may experience. I personally get a few around my chin and my nose just before that time of the month (oh mother nature). Origins claim that this spot remover heals, fights and fades spots and I have to agree 100%. I have used many spot gels and creams in the past, but nothing that really worked in the same way as this. It contains salicylic acid which instantly helps heal, while “anti spot technology” helps to correct post blemish marks. It also contains caffeine and red algae to help relieve redness. To help keep skin looking spotless it also has super exfoliants to keep dead skin cells at bay and to ensure the skin is clear of clogged pores. 

I usually pop a tiny amount of this on any little spots that start to creep up on me and I notice that the spot either disappears completely after around 2 days or is somewhat dulled. It is a gel, so feels very cooling on the skin and dries almost instantly. It doesn’t feel too tight once dry, but does feel a little tighter than if you were to use a cream. I like the slight tightness, as I feel it’s drying out/killing off my spot. I also found that applying makeup over the gel once dried was absolutely no problem. I also use it after the spot has vanished, just to speed up the post blemish healing process (as my spots always leave nasty red marks for weeks on end) and I’ve noticed that it helps with that too. 

If you are looking for a product just to target spots once they’ve invaded, I would definitely suggest this! Of course we all spend money on skincare to try and prevent them from attacking but sometimes you have to come up with a plan b once they’ve pushed their way through!

♥

Bia Beauty

I received these lovely goodies from Bia Beauty at the Cloggers event in Cork. 

Bia Beauty is a fantastic range of 100% handmade, natural skincare products.

Created by Tracey Ryan, using simple, natural food ingredients. Bia is the Irish word for food, hence the name, and this range literally feeds the skin leaving it super moisturised and soft! I fell in love with these products straight away.

Heres what I’ve been trying out…

Lime Pie Lip Balm - These natural lip balms are made with pure beeswax, cocoa butter and nourishing sweet almond oil which keeps your lips moisturised whatever the weather. I apply this is the morning and night and throughout the day if I feel like my lips are dry or chapped. This is a definite handbag essential for me.

Orange & Grapefruit Facial Exfoliant & Cleanser - A facial exfoliant needs to be powerful yet gentle and it needs to cleanse and nourish the skin rather than dry it out, and this does exactly that!

Stop the Clock Natural Eye Gel - This natural eye gel is made from rose, myrrh and immortelle essential oils, which are soothing for delicate skin, combined with arnica oil and aloe vera to produce a cooling and healing eye gel to instantly brighten tired eyes. I use this eye gel as part of my night time routine and I really notice a difference when I wake up. My eyes appear less puffy and 'more awake'.

I really recommend these products and this brand. I will definitely be trying out more of their products and will be sure to let you know how I get on.

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