Empties #2 | Mini Reviews.

You know the drilllll. Going through my beauty bin and giving ye all mini reviews on products I've completely used up! And, most importantly, would I repurchase them! My first empties post is here if you're interested in reading some more of my smaller reviews :)

Winter Nail Picks.

I love dark nails around this time of year. Black, burgundy, navy, greys. I love the way they look with a shiny top coat and a dark vampy lip. I also love glitter, too, so you know I had to include just a liiiiittle bit of that. Most of the glitter polishes I have are limited edition from different OPI or Barry M collections, but I will say that Barry M has the best range for fun polishes so definitely check that stand out first!

Brow Game 101 | My Brow Routine - Products, Techniques, Tips&Tricks.

I've been meaning to do this post for a long time, but I was avoiding it for ages. Purely because brows are a personal thing, different for everyone and can be hard to explain in a written post. That, and there are so many different ways to fill in your brows depending on the look you're going for. This is going to be my own personal brow routine. I'm a big fan of a fuller, sculpted brow and that's exactly how I like to do my own. My brows are naturally dark and thick, but I thought I would show you guys a couple of different ways I like to do my brows. I definitely don't think my brows are perfect, and I'm constantly trying to make them better, but I get asked about my brows quite a bit so I thought I'd do this post for those who were curious! These methods and tips can be taken and tailored to suit your own personal brow style and I think there's a few things everyone can take away from this post, no matter what brow shape or style you like! I hope this is helpful for some of you; I've gone through some of the different methods separately so you have the option of reading all of them, or just focusing on the way you personally prefer to do your brows. I'm going in order of my natural evolution in brow products; I began with powders and soon discovered new and unique products to use - I hope you discover some new ones as well! This is gonna be a long one, so stick on the kettle!

April Favourites!

Make-up items I've been using/loving this month. Some new ones and some oldies (but goodies!). I love 'favourites' posts because they give you a general overview of the products someone has been using that month. Seeing a mix of products introduces me to new stuff and also reminds me of older products I have, loved and need to start using again! Anyway, this month was pretty unexciting in terms of eyeshadow, nothing too colourful. Looking back on these pictures, I definitely wore a lot more pink tones, especially on my cheeks and lips. This only ever really happens in Spring and Summer so I guess it's finally here! This is solely a make-up favourites but I will definitely be including hair, nails and other beauty items in the future. I'll also be doing plenty of hair and nail related posts/reviews very soon so if that's something you're interested in then keep an eye out :)

April Favourites

First up is the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. I don't know about instantly erasing all my pores until I look photoshopped for days but, this is a really nice siliconey and velvety primer for the price. It is definitely lightweight, non greasy and makes my make-up go on a better, making it look a lot nicer. And because I'm a sucker for packaging, I think it's pretty cute!

Maybelline Baby Skin

Unfortunately, it seems that this month was the month of liking all of my limited edition products (sorry!). MAC Minieralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping is such a beautiful highlighting powder. MSF's are one of my favourite products from MAC, especially in terms of their limited edition collections and because they're so unique looking and beautiful on the skin, they're definitely worth picking up if you can get your hands on them. Perfect Topping is a rose-beige base with some very subtle purple/lavender veining. The sheen it gives on top of the cheekbones is beautiful - nothing too glittery or chunky looking. If this is ever rereleased in future collections, absolutely get your hands on this gem!

MAC MSF - Perfect Topping (Limited Edition)

It was only a matter of time before this blush featured somewhere on this blog! Nars Orgasm is probably one of the most talked about blushes on earth - and with good reason! I know many other brands have done an 'Orgasm-esque' blush but they're really never the same... Nars blushes are fantastic and this colour is beautiful on pretty much every skintone. I hate to be that person but it really is a 'peachy/pinky' blush with gold shimmer. This colour really brightens up the face, goes great with most eye looks and is a great every-day blush to have if you're not wearing much else on your face. Unlike a lot of people, this wasn't the first blush from Nars I ever bought - it took me about a year to eventually buy it. I didn't see the hype for ages until I had used it 3-4 times. Now, I can't imagine my life without it (dramatic, but frighteningly true... ish).

Nars Orgasm

This blush came out with the Archie's Girls collection from MAC about a year ago but Nars Desire is pretty similar. Prom Princess is a beautiful hot pink with purple undertones, shot through with a very subtle silver shimmer. This is easily one of the most pigmented blushes I own so I like to apply it with a small stippling brush for a more subtle wash of pink on the cheeks. Throughout this month I've just been really enjoying a bright pink cheek with a matching lip!

MAC Prom Princess (Limited Edition)

Catrice has quickly become one of my favourite drugstore/lower-end/pharmacy brand - it's so good! I've seen a few people online talk about their Liquid Metal Eyeshadow and decided to give them a go. I picked up Gold n' Roses, a very pale pink shade with lots of gold shimmer/glitter. They come in a few different shades, more neutral and then some bright blues and mauve purples but this was the most unique to me. The texture is wonderful and really reminds me of the MAC In Extra Dimension range. I love to pat this on top of a matte neutral lid, in the inner corners, or used wet on the lid for more of a 'pink' effect.

Catrice Gold n' Roses

I picked the I <3 Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara up not really expecting much from it but it is such a great pharmacy find! The brush is quite fat and plastic, with short spiked bristles along the edge and tip (the tip is some-what similar to Benefit's They're Real!). The interesting thing about the brush is that there are some flat panels inbetween the bristles which have tonnes of product. These panels coat the lashes with mascara and then I like to turn the wand with the bristles to my lashes and wiggle the product through. This gives a very dense, black and volumised lash. I've heard a lot of people say that it's a respectable dupe for the MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash. My friend is a huge advocate of that mascara and while I haven't personally tried it, I have compared the wands and they look very similar so I'm assuming they do a similar job!

Essence I <3 Extreme

Magenta lipliner is such a great pencil to have if you wear a lot of pinks/purples. It can definitely transform a lipstick and I love to wear it with the likes of Violetta, Girl About Town and Up The Amp.

I've been really favouring a nude or brown pencil on the waterline this month because I've been doing very basic, neutral looks and want something a little less harsh than black (patricularly if I don't have any winged eyeliner on) The Rimmel Scandaleyes Nude Eyeliner is a great fleshtone colour that really opens up the eye, making you seem more awake and doe-eyed (It's a lot less harsh than a stark white). The texture of these pencils is really nice, creamy but has very good lasting power.
Hot Chocolate is just a very basic, warm toned brown that looks very flattering on the waterline, or smudged on the upper and lower lashline. The staying power of the pencil is pretty good, especially for the price!

MAC Magenta, Rimmel Nude 005, Essence Hot Chocolate

Ah, possibly my favourite part of any favourites post... lipstick! As I said already, this month was a very pink toned one. A bold lipstick with some mascara and eyeliner can really make it look like you've put in a lot of effort to your look when you haven't at all.
Catfight is a hot pink with a very red undertone. The formula of the Urban Decay lipsticks are unlike any other and I think I might do a whole blog post with swatches and more in-depth thoughts on them. Catfight is creamy and super super opaque... and look at that packaging! (Urban Decay marketing and packaging: 1, Grace's bank account, 0)
Daddy's Little Girl also came out with the Archie's Girls collection. It's a bright pink-violet. The purple undertone of this lipstick really flatter the Prom Princess blush. It has a satin finish but goes on very smooth and creamy. Unfortunately I found it really hard to give a dupe for this from my lipstick stash that wasn't also limited edition. WHY DOES MAC DO THIS TO ME?!
Finally, something cheap and cheerful to end this post with. I remember the exact moment when I found out that Wet n Wild had come to Ireland: I complimented my friend on her lipstick and asked her what it was. She replied casually "oh some really cheap one by eh.. wet n wild I think?" After the initial shock of finding out that it was bought in Ireland and not stateside, I raided every Dunnes Stores high and low, far and wide.. (Okay, so I went to one in Galway and one in Dublin but we'll go with it for dramatic effect) Anyway, enough of that pointless anecdote.. Think Pink is a gorgeous pale pink with very subtle peach undertones. While it is bright, it's not overbearing and I regularly wear this on a day-to-day basis! The formula of these lipsticks is insaaaaane, especially for the price! There's no shimmer, it's definitely a cream formula that almost dries to a semi-matte/satin finish and is very long lasting!

Urban Decay Catfight, MAC Daddy's Little Girl (Limited Edition), Wet n Wild Think Pink

Catfight, Daddy's Little Girl, Think Pink

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Top 10 Make-Up Products for Summer.

I thought I'd ease myself into the whole blogging business by doing a post on my top 10 make-up products for Summer! Actually, I say ease myself in but it was embarrassingly difficult to choose only 10 products! This is a fairly general post, I tried to cover as much face,cheeks, eyes and lips in the one post. However, if you'd like to see a more specific one on top 5 eyeshadows/lipsticks/blushes for summer then of course let me know! Anyway, these are tried and tested, well used and well loved products that see me through any time of the year, but especially summertime. Many of these products are sweat proof, long wearing, easy to apply and fun to wear in summer (Girl About Town, I'm lookin' at you)

Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you've tried any of these products and any other summer/heat proof make-up recommendations

First up is the product that needs no introduction really. If you're a Mac fan then I'm sure you have this in your stash somewhere. Studio Fix Powder is a powder foundation that gives a relatively full and flawless coverage (particularly for a powder). As a disclaimer; I am a total cake face...Usually, I like a medium to full coverage on a daily basis so a BB/CC/ZZ cream or a tinted moisturizer is a rarity in my make-up bag. Honestly, I rarely wear anything other than a bit of concealer if I'm going anywhere during the day in summer (all or nothin' yano?) but, when I do want more coverage - Studio Fix Powder gives me just that. This stuff is SO easy to apply with a kabuki style/densely packed brush... it essentially gives a full coverage in about 5 seconds. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Easy to apply, long lasting, great for oily skin and won't slip and slide around your face when the sun comes out.

Mac Studio Fix Powder 

Although I have oily skin, I love cream cheek products in the summer time. While they don't always have the longest wear time, they're easy to apply, natural looking and can be set with a complimentary powder for extra staying power. Cream highlights look beautiful on any skin type (particularly dry). Mac Strobe Cream is technically marketed as an illuminating moisturizer but because of my oily skin and the gorgeous sheen it gives, I prefer to use this strategically on top of my cheeks as a subtle highlight.  This is just a little mini sample I received with a Mac order a while ago, but a little goes a long way when using this as a highlight! The texture is thin, smooth and liquidy so it won't cake up around cream or powder foundations. Mix some Strobe Cream in with your regular foundation for a lightweight, dewy tinted moisturizer.

Mac Strobe Cream

Next is the shameless 'Chanel bronze universel/soleil tan de Chanel' dupe. I don't actually use this as a 'primer' but more-so as a cream bronzer in the summertime. Bourjois Bronzing Primer has a really light, mousse-y formula that blends very easily on top of powder (in fact, I often use this on top of setting powder as a base for my contour and it works perfectly!). Although the colour may look a bit intimidating in the pot, its quite sheer and blendable so it would work on even fair Irish skinned milk bottles (such as myself). The number one selling point? It smells like chocolate... that.is.all.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer 

SUCH a pretty colour for spring/summer. The picture doesn't even do it justice but Cactus Flower is a bright poppy red/pink shot through with gold shimmer. It pulls almost a pink/coral on my skin tone which screams summertime to me. Pricey, but beautiful. It's not a secret that Nars do excellent blushes - both powder and cream. I apply this with a small stipple brush or clean fingers and it is such a beautiful blush. Sad fact: I read online somewhere that this was one of the blushes used on Zooey Deschanel during 500 days of summer and bought it a week later. Sad but true. (Cue the 'Shut up and take my money' meme)

Nars Cactus Flower

Something cheap and cheerful to balance out the Nars entry - Maybelline Colour Tattoos. Similar to Mac Paint Pots, these bad boys caused a miniature explosion on beauty blogs when they first came out. I LOVE these - definitely one of my favourite 'drugstore' buys. Pink Gold (featured below) is probably my most used Colour Tattoo (on and on bronze is a close second and very summer time appropriate!). I use these as both a cream eyeshadow and a base underneath other shadows. The former makes for a really quick and easy summertime eye look if you can't be bothered with a million brushes and eyeshadows. I have worn these in France in the middle of July and they have not creased, they're amazing! They come in so many colours, both neutrals and brights and with Maybelline usually on a 3 for 2 offer, it's a great opportunity to give them a try!

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo

Colourful eyeliner is such a fun way to add a (for lack of a better word) 'pop' of colour to a simple or neutral eye look... especially on the waterline or lower lashline! I'm a huge fan of the Urban Decay 24/7 glide on range; they stay put on the waterline and once they set they don't move! Urban Decay has an insaaaane colour range when it comes to their eyeliners so they're worth checking out. Their shadow pencils are also super easy to use and can be quickly swept across the lid for an even bolder look. They also make amazing eyeshadow bases!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (Covet)/Shadow Pencil (Clash)

Ah, the Naked Basics palette. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few years then I'm almost positive you've heard about the 'Naked' phenomenon from Urban Decay. I could write a whole blog post dedicated to this product but all I'll really say is; get it. It took me so long to buy it... I thought I didn't need it... I absolutely did. Above all, this palette is SO useful for travel. It's all I ever bring with me when I'm between Galway and Dundalk and it's the only eyeshadow palette I'll be bringing with me on my holidays this year. It's so teeny tiny, has good basic colours (5/6 are matte) and a mirror. Perfect for travel and I don't have to think about my eyeshadow look when using it. (p.s. Venus is a beeeeeautiful cheek highlight when you're in a pinch!)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I was always stuck between the "I don't want to wear a lot of make-up... but I also want my brows to look done... but if I do my brows then it looks weird without a full face of make-up and ahhhh never mind I'll just go full drag today in 70 million degree heat" dilemma. That was until I discovered Tinted Brow Gel and now my summer face routine is about 10 minutes shorter. I basically use this when I want to give my brows a more polished look but don't want to fuss with pencils, powders or gel products. Very subtle effect but I always like knowing that my brows are somewhat 'done', even when I don't have a lot of time!

Catrice Eyebrow Filler

Ideally, I would fill this with bright lipsticks that I would typically wear in the summer but maybe that's for another blog post. In any case, I do think that a brightly coloured lipstick (a coral, a red, a pink) is a great thing to have in your summer make-up bag. It adds colour to the face, can make you look like you've put in a lot more effort than you actually have aaaand can even be used as a cream blush (multitasking at it's best!) Girl About Town is one I reach for a lot in the summertime. It's a raspberry, almost fuschia pink that flatters SO many skin tones. The amplified finish means it's very opaque and comfortable to wear.

Mac Girl About Town (Amplified)

FOTD using Girl About Town 

If you want something a little bit sheerer, less fuss but still comfortable to wear then look no further than the Revlon Lip Butters. The beauty blogging community when crazy for these when they first launched. They're a lipstick/lip balm hybrid. The pigmentation of a sheerer lipstick (think lustre by Mac) with the moisture and comfort of a lip balm. They glide on the lips and are very comfortable to wear. Although some of the shades are softer, sheerer colours, they are still very pigmented for a 'lip balm' style product (especially 'Lollipop' which isn't pictured here but is a beautiful hot pink with blue shimmer.. very summer time appropriate!) These come in an array of shades (my suggestions for summertime include Creme Brulee, Tutti Fruiti, Lollipop, Sweet Tart, Wild Watermelon and Juicy Papaya) and can usually be found on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots.

Revlon Lip Butter - Creme Brulee/Sweet Tart

Girl About Town, Creme Brulee, Sweet Tart

If you made it to the end of this post, then you go Glen Coco! Thank you for reading :)
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