I'm back!

Hey! It's been too long!

I thought I'd start back simple and just give a small overview of my skincare routine at the moment, the products I'm using morning, night time and in between!

Apologies for the hiatus too guys! It's definitely been a while, but hopefully with the different aspects of my life evening out I'll be able to put my heart back into something that I am passionate about ❤ ❤ ❤ 

But now - back to bidness...

I have a fairly simple morning routine..

I start the day with my Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water on a cotton disc, to get rid of any oil/residue on my skin before applying my mosturiser and makeup of the day.

I've also started using the Clean & Clear rapid Action Pads all over my face as I have noticed break-outs on my chin area are reappearing recently, and so I'm trying to keep them at bay with this Salicylic Acid based treatment.  

In the evening then, I use the Garnier Two Phase Eye Makeup Remover to remove any waterproof makeup (It's amazeballs!)and my Micellar water again to remove the rest of my makeup. Following this I use the Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser, which leaves a lovely fresh tingly, minty feeling on the skin. I smooth it on after splashing my face with water, and leave it for 2/3 minutes. I have combination/dry skin so I use this to help keep my skin clear on a day to day basis - I'll get into my deep treatments in a moment. 
I usually rinse this off using a facecloth and some warm water to exfoliate as I rinse it off.

If I'm having a bad skin day/week/lifetime I usually load up on Sudocrem as a night treatment, before I do that though, recently I bought the Lush Cosmetic Warrior mask and found it does wonders at calming down big breakouts. Among other awesome ingredients, it also contains Tea Tree Oil and Garlic! It may not sound so hot (or look so hot...) but it really does work wonders. It goes on very smoothly and sets very slightly from the Kaolin (clay) in it. I prefer this to clay heavy masks as I don't find the tightness from the dry clay very comfortable. An added bonus from storing it in the fridge is that it's lovely and cooling on the skin!

Following these I mosturise with the L'Oreal Miracle Perfection Correcting Day Mosturiser. I haven't seen a drastic improvement over the last 2 - 3 months I've been using this, but I do find that it keeps my skin from being too dehydrated. It has a lovely smooth texture that feels slightly gelatinous, and a luxurious scent to it too. It feels slightly tacky on the skin at first but after a few moments it sinks in. 

I follow these steps as much as I can day to day, but if I'm up late and am too tired to wash my face thoroughly I use Johnsons Makeup be Gone Pampering Wipes to remove my makeup and follow with the Clean & Clear pads and L'Oreal moisturiser.

This has been my basic skin care routine for the past month and at the moment I'm quite happy with it. I am nearing the end of my moisturiser, so might look into something different, but other than that I find that, while it's not perfect, my skin is the best it's been for quite a while.

That's all for the moment!
I know it's been a (very) long while since my last post, but I do hope to pop in and out occasionally to rave/rant about new products that I'm encountering (ahem, which is a considerable amount currently!!)

Let me know what your Holy Grail Skin Care product is and why!

Talk to you all soon! xo



*As you know these products work for me, but that does not necessarily mean they will work for everyone, I'm merely trying to give the world my opinions and ideas on certain aspects of them.

Pamper me! Montagne Jeunesse Anti-Stress Face Mask

Hey everyone!

I know it's been a while, but I'm up and running again!

If you follow me on instagram or twitter you may have a pic of me with this fabulous mask smeared all over my beautiful visage - if not, don't worry, there's another one here!

I picked this up after my exams as my skin had been going a bit AWOL from stress among other things.
I've seen these everywhere in the last few weeks and when my local Penneys started stocking them, I had to get one!

I got the 'Mud Pac' mask, a creamy, seaweed-y mask that helps to relieve stress. It says for normal - oily t-zone skin, which is my skin. 
 
I used half a packet and it went pretty far. It feels slightly cooling on the skin (like menthol) - which I don't mind but some might. 
You leave it on for 10 -15 minutes and let it do it's magic! 

It dries slightly - but not like those grey clay masks that stop you from moving your face. 

Warning: You may look strange while enjoying this mask. To avoid embarrassment schedule your pampering for a time when you aren't expecting any visitors!  (example below...)

Sexy & I know it ;)

After the 10 - 15 minutes wash off with a warm cloth. It left my skin feeling super clean and soft, but not tight. I did apply some moisturiser afterwards in any case. I liked this mask as it hydrated my skin and left it feeling very fresh.

I plan on getting one for blocked pores next, of course you can expect my views on this one too! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Keep an eye out for more coming soon. Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these face masks, and what you liked/didn't like! 

As always you can find me all over the web! Twitter, instagram, She Said Beauty and now facebook too!

Ta-ta for now! xo 

 
 

Holiday, life decisions & new feature!

Hey everyone!
Sorry I've been away from the keyboard for a bit but I was on holiday in Spain (have you seen my pics on Instagram?), which was a-mazing!

I got to see some beautiful places and meet some new and awesome people. There was also a load of beauty brands over there that aren't available in Ireland or England, so it was nice to be able to get my paws on some of those things. PLUS I got a few new clothes too which I might post about later! The weather was mixed with the first day being rainy, but then as the week went on everyday was better & better. Overall I had a fantastic time, and it was nice to be able to relax and forget about my worries and college and all the rest!

When we came back it was back to work - no more sangria for me! And back to college too. Which brings me to what I really want to whoever reads my blog know, maybe it's just because I've had a weight on my shoulders for the past few weeks and I've finally been able to make the decisions I need to get it off there, that I'm in the second last week of my first year of my course and I've made the choice not to go back to it in September. I loved it at the start and I value everything I was taught, but it's just not me.

I don't know exactly what I'll do instead but it's definitely something to do with make up or beauty.
I was in a department store on Friday just looking around and decided to get my brows done by the benefit brow expert, I also got some information on what qualifications you need to have to work at one of the beauty counters and it actually sounds really fun! I haven;t discussed my plans with my family yet but I know they will be supportive of my decisions.
I've been looking into beauty schools around Ireland and eyeing up some 'one day makeup' courses, but who knows yet!

Sorry if it's a bit of a rant but I've been busy with sorting all this out for the last few days so that's why I haven't had time to sit down and do the posts I planned for when I was back.

Aside from all that, I have decided that, as I'm finishing up with college and have the opportunity to wear nail polish for more than 24hrs - working with food or in a restaurant doesn't allow nail polish, I am going to do more Nails Of The Day posts, with nail polish hauls & some tutorials too! Let me know if you think this is a good idea in the comments!

Keep an eye on my twitter feed & Instagram feed for news and updates!
You can also find me on She Said Beauty!

What are your 'on holiday must haves'? 
Have you gone in thinking you love something then changed your mind? Or are you loving what your doing in college/uni? 
Would you like to see NOTD, polish hauls & nail tutorials? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading - it's a big confidence boost to know people are reading my little blog, and it helps me show my passion.

Ta-ta for now! xo

My wishlist: April!

Hey! So I thought I'd get started on my wishlist posts. You may have seen me mention it in the features post I put up a few days ago. I'm aiming to one every month for the following month (if that makes sense?) So in March (now) I'll do my wish list for April and so on. 

Many of the items are dupes for high end/expensive ones that I would love, but alas! I will put the original item in brackets. ALSO there are a lot of e.l.f products in my list so sorry in advance! 

Lets begin!

January/February Favourites 2013

Hey guys & dolls! 

So as you may have read in my previous post I have set new goals for this year's blogging! New features and everything! 

This is the first bi-monthly favourites post (so the next one will be end of April), with all my faves of January and February. These are all items that have been permanently on my window sill (where I do my makeup) for the last 2+ months. So without further ado.... Here we go!

Update: Favourites, Wishlists & more!

What up everybody?!

Just a quick update on some plans for features I want to implament...

I've been spending more & more time (too much in some cases!) looking at youtube videos and other beauty blogs trying to pick up tips and ideas on weekly posts or something similar.

I have decided that I'm going to start doing a bi-monthly faves post and also a wish list post every couple of weeks. This will have all the items I really want to get my hands on and why I want to get my hands on them.

My first NAKED Palette!

Ah! So I got the Urban Decay Naked Palette (the first one), and today was my first day trying it. It came with the Urban Decay Primer Potion, which I haven't tried before, but so far (it's 11:20pm now), it's stayed on all day with no creasing or anything! 

I've seen so much about this palette everywhere online and I've been looking for a neutral palette for a while now, so I thought why not. 

No. 7, 17 and more!

Whatsupeverybody!

I hope you are all in the spring spirit, I know I am!

Back to business! So today I went for a little shop as I got a Boots voucher from my Grandmother for my birthday. I don't normally get stuff in Boots, I don't know why..?? They have really good deals for what you get.



Pour example: Buy 2 No. 7 products and get a beautiful ballerina makeup bag with four little surprises (worth 34€) inside!

I was like oh my god. I really like No. 7, they have the best lipsticks in my opinion.

So my two bought items were No. 7 Stay Perfect Metallic Eyes Pencil in Purple, and No. 7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in Lovely.




And inside the gorgeous ballerina pouch was:

• No. 7 Moisture Drench in Mulberry
• No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara
• No. 7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Mauve
• No. 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Day Cream

I haven't tried any of these yet, but I do plan to tomorrow! I'm very excited! 

But wait! There's more!? 

Yep, there is! It didn't stop there... I also got two 17 products as they were Buy One Get One 1/2 Price. Eep! Offers galore. 

So from 17 I got Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks, and 18hr Stay Time Concealer. Again, I haven't tried them yet but I will let you all know how it goes! 

Yeahh... Then I went to Primark and got the Essence Brow Set, Lash & Brow Gel, and a make up sponge. 

Here's the catch - it's a 'Beauty Blender' replica..?! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I've seen some comparisons between the BB and a Sonia Kushak Blender available in the US, and the BB came out on top. 

As with the rest of the stuff, it hasn't been tested yet. I did put it on water to see if it swelled up in size, and it definitely did - 3x the size! This was the major difference in performance of the BB and the Sonia Kushak one. It feels nice to touch but I still don't know what it will be like. 

The real ones are supposed to produce an "airbrushed" look to your foundation. Hmmm, we'll see I guess! 

If anyone has tried the beauty blender, or even a knock off version of it let me know in the comments below! 

Don't forget to check me out on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Ta-ta for now!

e.l.f Haul!

Sooo! I finally got my first set of elf cosmetics.

I mentioned in the previous post that I ordered their All Over Cover Stick, Mineral Infused Primer, Mineral Foundation, Lip Stain with Gloss, Lip Liner and Powder Puffs.

Quick Update! e.l.f haul!

Hey guys!

Just a short update to let you know I ordered a ton of stuff from eyeslipsface.co.uk last night and you can expect a review in the next week or two!

(I'm sooooo excited!)

I ordered their mineral infused primer to go with their mineral foundation as I haven't really found a foundation to write home about as of yet. The BB Cream by L'Oreal is taking my fancy but I've never worn mineral foundation apart from getting it done in the department store, and I have to say, I really liked it.

I also ordered a Cover Stick too as I like them for concealer/foundation. The other thing I ordered which I have wanted for aaages but never found a decent priced one, is Lip Stain, especially in pink, of course to go with it I got some Lip Liner as well!

Other than that it was just some powder puffs as per one of The Beauty Department's recommendations. I was looking forward to getting a stippling brush and their mineral powder brush too, but sadly they are high demand items and as such were out of stock. Boo!

The prices are amazing, and I'll definitely be going back there. As for the quality, I'll be letting you know shortly!

Ta-ta for now!

Fizzy Bath Bombs!

Hey Everyone!

I love bath bombs and I think they're the perfect gift for valentines day for your boyfriend of girlfriend, add some candles and you're set for a beautiful romantic, relaxing night in.

So, let's begin with..
What you need (find these in chemist's/craft shops/health food stores):

• 2 Cups Baking soda
• 1 Cup Citric Acid
• 1-3 Drops of any essential oil (I like orange & ginger personally!)
• Witch Hazel (or Just some distilled water)
• Food colouring (optional)
• Spray bottle (diffuser)
• Wooden Spoon
• Mixing Bowl
• Egg Carton

Phew!

Now to the..

How to: 

1. Mix the Baking soda and Citric acid in your bowl (be sure to get rid of any lumps by sieving mixture)
2. Add a few drops of essential oil until the mixture smells sufficiently perfumed.
3. Add 1-3 drops of food colouring, or until the desired colour has been reached. 
4. Spray your witch hazel or water onto the mixture until it becomes damp enough to form pretty solid balls - not too much though!
5. Shape the mixture into evenly sized balls (or you can do small, medium and large sizes!)
6. Place them into your egg carton and leave to dry for 24 hours
7. Et Voila! 

You can decorate the egg carton with confetti, ribbon, glitter or anything you want to present them to your other half. 

Some essential oils you could try are lavender and rose, orange and ginger, peppermint, tea tree, patchouli, ylang-ylang or bergamot. 

Thanks for reading, and come back to see how to make Solid Perfume!

Ta-ta for now!

Super Easy Lip Plumper

So, today I'll show you how to make a super easy lip plumper. Perfect for valentines day or just as a little pampering for yourself. Use

What you need:

• Small plastic pots
• Cocktail stick/Chopstick to mix 
• 2tsp Vaseline (or enough to fill the pot up)
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

How to:

1. Melt your Vaseline in the microwave, in a microwavable bowl, for about 15-25sec, or until liquid. 
2. Add the ground cinnamon and mix thoroughly
3. Add cayenne and mix thoroughly
4. Add sugar and mix
5. If necessary, put in microwave for another 15sec to liquefy a little more and infuse everything. 
6. Pour/Scoop into small pots/containers and leave in fridge to set for 1 hour.

Voila! You're lip plumper is done! The cinnamon & cayenne act as a mild irritant to the lips and plumps them up. It also makes them feel pleasantly tingly!

Alternatively you can replace the cinnamon and cayenne with a few drops of rose oil (or any other essential oil) to make a scented lip scrub. Simply massage onto your lips for a 30sec then clean off with a tissue for smooth, hydrated lips!

Let me know how you get on in the comments section below! 

Thanks for reading and come back soon for another Valentines DIY.

Ta-ta for now!

Love is in the air!

"Is it hot in here or it just me? If ya know what I mean.."




Well hello there! 

It's getting awfully close to valentines, don'tcha think? (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge). And now's the time to consider gifts! 

I know it can be tough, queens (and toms!), but fear not, The Pretentious Kitten is here to help! 

I'm here to tell you all you need to know about creating the Purrrfect Pamper Package for your significant other. 

Rather than make this a big long post on everything, I'll break each of them up into their main components, so you can sift through them easier, then I'll do a post on how you can package it all up prettily! 

Each item is very diverse and you can tailor it to your SO's likes and preferences!


News Just In..!

If you haven't visited my Pinterest page yet, what are you doing??! 
Get on over there and check out my boards! You can find all sorts of things there from all over the place. 

Feel free to leave feedback in the comment section.

Thanks for popping by, and come back soon!
Ta-ta for now

It's not about the cha-ching cha-ching.. Well, maybe a little!

What's up everybody!

Sooo, seeing as I'm a poor college student I applied for a grant (the government gives me money so I can attend college), in August and it took forever to get it buut it's finally here! And that means I can buy all sorts of new stuff!

So on Friday I went shopping and bought a gorgeous  new pair of Jeans, similar to ones pictured here.

Along with those I bought a faux Gucci belt, which I still love!

It would go very well with a plain top such as a white camisole and a loose, long sleeved crop top over, showing off the belt buckle.

To go with the jeans or even as a dress on it's own I bought a long top, that can be hoisted up to look like a sweater. Shape similar to this, if a bit longer at the bottom.

I also bought a new dress, which is white with pale gold sequins diagonally across the top and diagonally across the bottom. I don't have any pictures yet, but I will definitely put up some soon. It's similar in shape to this dress, but it has a V-shape at the back.

And to go with it I got a long necklace with large pearls on it, in pale pink and creamy white on a gold chain. Same style as this one, and earrings to match.

Wear the dress with a pair of nude platforms and a pale pink clutch to finish it off.





Keep and eye out on Lookbook for posts of my outfits and new buys that I mention here, also visit my pinterest page for ideas/tips/fashion to inspire you! 
I'll be doing a review on the GOSH 22 Palette very soon, so keep a look out for that! Also don't forget to leave feedback & ideas in the comment section. 

Ta-ta for now! xo

Apologies and Updates

Hey everybody!

I feel awful I haven't stayed true to my promise of a post but fear not, I will be back soon. It's been busier than expected and all other things going on.

But let's move on!

Here's something I made earlier!

What's up party people?

Just a quick post I thought I'd put up of something I did.. 5 minutes ago.



Sooo, here is my unflattering face!

Aand this is how I did it...
I decided to mess around with some colour combinations, and I got this turquoise and copper look.
I stuck with more shadowy, dramatic shades for my lips and bronzer for contouring.

I used Colour Works Eyeliner for the turquoise, they're big fat eyeliner pencils so it worked perfect for the lid.

Then I used Bourjois Blanc Diaphane from right under the brow to the crease, and blended it with the turquoise just a little bit.

For the copper liner, I used Essence Eye base mixed with Essence pigments in Copper.
I did this along the lower lash line also, then used the turquoise on the waterline.

I did my top waterline with Kajal Kohl eyeliner.

For my lashes, I first used a little NYC Skyline mascara to thicken the base of my lashes, then went over them with Maybelline GlamEyes Volume & Lift mascara. Top and bottom. 

I used NYC Sun 2 Sun bronzer to contour my cheeks and jaw. 

Then applied a little Maybelline Brush Blush in Sweetheart Rose just on the apples of my cheeks and swept it up towards my temples. 

For my lips, I used an eyebrow pencil (Rimmel London profession eyebrow pencil in Hazel) to line my lips shading slightly around the outer corners inwards. I used the brown as it darkens the pink lipstick I used (Maybelline Water Shine lipstick in Rose Jam). I dusted with the gold powder from the NYC bronzer to set it and went over the liner a bit more. 

The pics aren't great, I was only using my bf's iPhone in bad light. But, I just thought I'd share this with my lovely kitties!

Feedback is appreciated!

Ta-ta for now! 

Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Quattro & Eyebase Review

Hey kittens! 

As promised, here's my review on the 'Cherry Blossom Girl Quattro' by Essence as well as their Colour Arts Eye-base that I bought the other day while browsing the essence make-up counter. 

I think starting off with the eye primer is appropriate, so let's begin!

L'Oréal BB Cream Review

So, the other day I was just browsing the drugstore to see what was new and if there was anything interesting on the shelves, when I came across this:

L'Oréal's BB Cream. 

It's not very thick, more of a liquid than a cream and is very light. Texture wise, it has these small granules that are "Smart Pigment Capsules". These adapt to you're skin tone and match it almost exactly.

It starts out white, with the little granules visible, but as you rub it into your skin it changes to match your skin tone, and the granules disintegrate. 

I found it adapted to my skin tone very well. I chose the 'Medium' tone, as I prefer a foundation that is slightly darker than my natural skin tone in the winter months, so as not to look too washed out after my tan has faded (I normally use just a lightly tinted moisturiser in the summer to keep my skin hydrated).

I found it a little oily at first, not so much as to be uncomfortable, or make you look shiny, but by the time I had gotten even coverage it was gone. I would suggest using a translucent powder on top just to set it as I found it needed an extra minute or two to completely set/soak into your skin and not accidentally come off on clothes or rub off even on your fingers. The powder I use, that has served me well over the past year or two, is definitely NYC's Pressed Translucent Powder. It's not expensive at all but still excellent quality.

I found it applied better with my fingers than with my foundation brush. I'm not sure if this is maybe because of it's low viscosity. I'm not the biggest fan of applying foundation with my hands, so I would recommend  using a dense sponge applicator. 

It held up well during the day, lasting through my cycle to college - I sometimes have to re-apply my powder if not touch up with foundation in the 'T-Zone' especially, when I get to the college. It was also practically weightless which is relieving. 

Overall it was a good investment. I wouldn't use it everyday as it would run our fairly quick, (the tubes aren't so big). But it's definitely worth buying if you don't wear foundation everyday, or if you like a really light, textured foundation. 

It's available in most drugstores/department stores/larger supermarkets, (e.g., debenhams, boots, tesco or if you're in the US, to my knowledge, walmart stock it also). 

Or if you prefer looking online you can find it at Ulta.com, Boots.com or eBay.com!

That's al for now! Thanks for reading, and come back soon for my EcoTools Make-Up Brushes review.

Ta-ta for now!

And now for something a little different..

Time now to stray away from Hallowe'en and go back to reality - some charming little pieces from the internet! 

I give you the "double liner".

I've seen so many people sporting this look in the last couple of months, its awesome, I love it! Especially because it requires so little effort, and materials! 

Another look I adore is this black/gold smokey eye look. It's less harsh than an all black smokey eye and would look amazing on any eye colour.

Pair this look with one of those 'half up' hairdos and you've got yourself one very  sexy evening look.

Sticking with some gorgeous looks for your eyes here's a beautiful gold/copper shadow, with a thick jet black line over the top lashes. 

With this look, you can tone it down for a daytime look by using a matte, copper/gold colour instead of the intense metallic one. 

My personal favourites for these colours are:

Bourjois' 71 Or Rafinné

&

NYX Dark Brown

As with any statement eye look, I find it's always better to go for a nude lip colour. This gives one focus point on your face, and is much more of a statement than two, which can look messy. Be careful though, that you don't just plaster your lips with your foundation, giving you a 'no face' look. It's better to find a good quality lipstick in a peachy shade close to your natural skin colour and a very light lip gloss to go over it. 

 Here are my favourites:

NYC Pink Gold

&

No7 Liplicious in Pink

All of these are beautiful but there's always something else you can add to it to make it even more fabulous.
I'm talking  hair. Whether it's BIG hair you're looking for or something simple and classy, you'll always find something to suit you.

Here's the 'half up' 'do I mentioned in the second paragraph:
All that's required is a little patience and time! (and a tutorial if you really want it, found here!)

Hallowe'en Hairstyles to Make You go Wild!

 

Hallowe'en isn't all about make-up and nails, it's also about a girl's other major asset - her hair.

Neon hair extensions are a must for going all out with your look. 

You can go crazy with your hair, using every possible product and accessory to make it purrfect. Whether you're going for the big-haired Lady Gaga look or just for added oompf.

There are all sorts of things you can add to your hair at hallowe'en, but one of the ones that can make or break your outfit is a wig! It may sound odd, but wigs can be amazing! (and amazingly cheap!), whether you wear them for the wow-factor, or just to adjust the look.                                   

If you're thinking of going in a different direction to dead cheerleaders or zombies, you can find a good tutorial on how to style your hair like Snooki, from Jersey Shore here, and a killer tutorial on how to dress just like her here!

Thanks for reading, leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Ta-ta for now!